25 November 2009 - 15H42  

Mousavi says militia being used against Iranians
Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, seen here in June 2009, has accused the authorities of using the Basij volunteer Islamist militia to intimidate Iran's own people.
Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, seen here in June 2009, has accused the authorities of using the Basij volunteer Islamist militia to intimidate Iran's own people.
Iranian police beat a demonstrator with batons during a June 14 protest against the election results in Tehran. Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has accused the authorities of using the Basij volunteer Islamist militia to intimidate Iran's own people.
Iranian police beat a demonstrator with batons during a June 14 protest against the election results in Tehran. Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has accused the authorities of using the Basij volunteer Islamist militia to intimidate Iran's own people.
Iranian members of the Basij militia burn a US flag outside the former embassy compound in Tehran on November 4. Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has accused the authorities of using the Basij volunteer Islamist militia to intimidate Iran's own people.
Iranian members of the Basij militia burn a US flag outside the former embassy compound in Tehran on November 4. Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has accused the authorities of using the Basij volunteer Islamist militia to intimidate Iran's own people.

AFP - Opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi on Wednesday accused the authorities of using the Basij volunteer Islamist militia to intimidate Iran's own people.

Members of the Basij, set up by Iran's revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to defend the 1979 Islamic revolution, were used extensively to crack down on protesters after June's disputed presidential poll.

"Should that force, which once represented our nation's bravery, be used to intimidate Iranians?" asked Mousavi ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Basij on Thursday.

"It is completely obvious that the latest and newest strategy of the totalitarian minority is frightening people."

Although the exact strength of the Basij is unknown, observers estimate that hundreds of thousands of young and old Iranian men and women are members of the nationwide network.

"The Basij which the Imam (Khomeini) wanted would not stand against people ... It was a Basij which was supposed to enjoy friendship with the people ... not a tool in the hands of the authorities," Mousavi said on his website Kalemeh.com.

The Basij, which means mobilisation in Farsi, "was not supposed to take away people's freedom of vote and choice," the former premier said.

"Thus if some authorities forget the mission of the Basij, we people must take it over ... We must not allow anyone to be tempted to intimidate us. Intimidation is the last bullet."

Mousavi, the main rival of re-elected President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, continues to maintain that the June 12 poll was rigged in favour of the incumbent.

His calls for a fresh election triggered street protests across Tehran and in the ensuing violence dozens of people were killed, several of them reportedly in clashes with Basij members mobilised to halt the demonstrations.

Mousavi reiterated on Wednesday that several protesters were tortured in prisons after their arrests.

"If someone calls for returning to the original principles of the Islamic republic ... should they be beaten up on the streets, tortured in prisons and sentenced to long jail terms?" the opposition leader asked.

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