Bahrain holds parliament elections on Saturday in an environment that rights groups describe as "political repression" after the U.S.-allied Gulf Arab state has dissolved main opposition groups and cracked down on dissent.
Polling stations opened at 8:00 am in the Sunni-ruled island state, which crushed a 2011 anti-government uprising led largely by the Shi'ite Muslim community that has long complained of discrimination, a charge denied by authorities.
Ahead of the vote, which includes municipal polls, rights group Amnesty International criticised "highly restrictive measures" that bar members of banned opposition groups and those who served jail terms longer than six months.
