Komiteh (Iran)

Country: Iran
Details of Formation: Komitehs are local groups that are run by clerics and the state to patrol the streets and detect behavior that does not conform to the Islamic laws. They were created after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Details of Termination: After efforts by President Rafsanjani in 1994 to abolish the PGM, they are integrated into the regular police forces one year later.
Purpose: The group is supposed to enforce the Islamic law and to act against all potential threats to it.
Organisation: The Komitehs are locally organized around mosques and act as neighborhood patrols. They are controlled by the Interior Ministry and are said to have more power than the police.
Weapons and Training: There is no specific information on whether Komiteh receives training or weapons. But, one can infer that the militia probably receives material support from the state as they act similar to the police force.
Size: Komiteh is reported to have at least 1,000 members throughout the country.
Reason for Membership: Sources say that young people are happy to join the militia, probably because they are being paid.
Treatment of Civilians: The PGM has been involved in clashes with civilians and targets people who are not behaving according to the government’s interpretation of the Islamic law.
Other Information: Organised around mosques and connected to Revolutionary Guards and interior ministry.
References: --