Basij Vigilantes Time in Iran

The Basij, or “mobilization” force, also referred to as the Baseej, are Iranian vigilantes recruited from lower- and working-class neighborhoods by the Revolutionary Guard to enforce Islamic behavior, crush protests, mete out beatings and carry out torture and extra-judicial executions. They purposefully wear no uniforms or identifying markings. The Basij vigilante’s favored weapons, beside fists and boots, are hoses, clubs, iron bars, truncheons, ropes and firearms.

They're about to get very busy in the streets of Tehran, should protests against the fraudulent re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a Basij emeritus, continue.

An all-volunteer paramilitary force reputed for its unpredictability, violence and unaccountability, the Basij vigilantes are similar to the Taliban’s roving vigilantes of the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, itself derived from Saudi Arabia’s Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. The significant difference between the Basij and the other two vice squad is in sectarian orientation. The Basjij enforce Iran’s Shiite ideology. The Taliban’s and Saudi Arabia’s vigilantes enforce extreme interpretations of Wahhabi-Sunni repression.

So who are these thugs? Read the full FAQ: "Iran's Basij Vigilantes: Who Are They? What Are They?"

See Also:

• Who Rules Iran? A Primer
• You be the Judge: Can Khomeini's Revolution Survive?
• Fear and Loathing in Tehran