A human rights activist says the raid by Bahraini security forces on the home of prominent Shia cleric Ayatollah Isa Ahmed Qassem was carried out in revenge for the low turnout in the recent regime-sponsored elections, Press TV reports.

Sheikh Maytham al-Salman from the Bahrain Human Rights Observatory in Bahrain, said in an interview with Press TV on Tuesday, “This attack comes 72 hours after the clear failure of the government of Bahrain in convincing the people of Bahrain to participate in the elections. So it’s also seen as an act of revenge against Ayatollah Isa Ahmed Qassim for standing with the mass-majority of Bahrainis in their pro-democratic movement.”

He added, “This clearly indicates that the authorities are continuing their sectarian violations against the majority of Bahrainis.”

Bahraini security forces on Tuesday raided the house of Sheikh Qassem and even took photos of the ID cards of everyone inside the house in Diraz, west of the capital Manama.

In response to the attack, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham said on Tuesday, “Desecration of religious symbols and insult to popular religious leaders and scholars indicate the Bahraini government’s bankrupt security and tribal approaches in dealing with peaceful protests by the country’s people.”

The raid on the home of the spiritual leader of the opposition al-Wefaq group comes just a few days after people voted in an alternative election held by the main opposition parties of Bahrain.

The opposition had boycotted the parliamentary elections which were held with a low turnout on the same day across the tiny kingdom.

Since mid-February 2011, thousands of anti-regime protesters have held almost daily demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.

Bahrain has been severely criticized by human rights groups for its harsh crackdown on anti-regime protesters, which has claimed the lives of scores of people so far.