Bahrain Mirror: Bahraini citizens on Sunday (August 23, 2015) launched a hashtag stating: #I feel like a second-class citizen, in response to comments made by the Minister of Interior on Sunday morning during an interview in which he denied there "are second-class citizens" in Bahrain and said that the "Shiites of Bahrain are not second-class".

The Interior Minister's statement came one month after the majority of Shiite high-ranking high school graduates were deprived of their right to receive scholarships, amid a massive campaign of sectarian discrimination against the Shiites and sermons by pro-regime clerics like Jassem Al-Saidi, declaring the followers of the Shiite sect to be infidels. The Kingdom of Bahrain is considered to be one of the states that practices the highest levels of discrimination against Shiite citizens in all aspects of life.

Tweeters presented examples of sectarian discrimination witnessed in their country. Ahmed Aljamri tweeted: "When my dignity is insulted because of my denominational affiliation #I feel like a second-class citizen."

حينما تهان كرامتي بسبب انتمائي المذهبي . #احس_روحي_مواطن_درجه_ثانيه

— ahmed Aljamri (@abu_yaseen) August 23, 2015

Another Tweeter said: "When the people of my country are killed at the hands of mercenaries who are later acquitted of the crime #I feel like a second-class citizen."

عندما يقتل ابناء وطني من قبل مرتزق ويتم تبرئته من الجريمة #احس_روحي_مواطن_درجه_ثانيه

— alb7ranya (@aamera_84) August 23, 2015

As for a citizen named Bubahrain, he tweeted: "When Bahraini newspapers publish articles denouncing the majority of the population as traitors and calling for harsher punishments and revocation of citizenships #I feel like a second-class citizen."

عندما تنشر الصحف البحرينيه مقالات تهاجم أغلبية الشعب و بالتخوين و تشديد العقاب و سحب الجنسيه #احس_روحي_مواطن_درجه_ثانيه

— بو بحرين (@Bubahrain) August 23, 2015

Another Tweet by a Bahraini called Ahmed Al-Madini read: "Can I apply for a job as an officer in the Interior Ministry, Defense Ministry or National Guard? #I feel like a second-class citizen."

هل استطيع ان اتقدم لوظيفة ضابط في وزارة الداخلية أو وزارة الدفاع أو الحرس الوطني #احس_روحي_مواطن_درجه_ثانيه

— أحمد المديني (@ALMADINI2012) August 23, 2015

This hashtag became widespread, as dozens of tweets were posted as a response to the Interior Minister's denial which comes in favor of the government he works for.

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