More about Iran- but this time no nuclear talks
Still talking about Iran... No I'm not obsessed with it, it's just that Iran is the talk of the week/month/2009.
Last week when the Calais "jungle", a refugee camp in the North of France, was 'evacuated' by the French government, many young Iranians were among the refugees looking for asylum. Some of them explained that even though they weren't part of "the ethnic minorities who would normally make the perilous journey into exile", they were fleeing the repression following the pro-reform demonstrations, especially the violence acts perpetrated by the "Basij".
The Basij (Farsi for mobilisation) is an omnipresent paramilitary organization with multiple roles which acts as the eyes and ears of the Islamic regime. Basij militia are present in schools, universities, state and private institutions, factories, and even among tribes.
They were put in place by the Ayatollah Khomeini in November 1979 and are still celebrated every year in Iran during what is called "Basij week".
Yesterday Walid Phares from the Counterterrorism blog told us about the Declaration Condemning Human Rights Abuse in Iran which calls for an investigation of "the so-called "Basij militia" for alleged abuse of human rights".
Among talks of international security it is crucial to remember that the Iranian regime is also a threat to its own population.
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FREErad!cals is the ICSR blog. It's a forum for debate and fresh ideas on radicalisation and political violence. It features some of the most innovative, young thinkers, discussing radicals and radicalisation. They are looking at how the challenge has been understood, and how it should be addressed.
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