Pro-Government Militias

Pro-Government Militia Website

Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Saudi Arabia)

Basic Group Information

Name assigned by coder: no
PGM ID Number: 247
Country: Saudi Arabia
Date formed: Oct. 2, 1985
    Accuracy of date formed: day
Details of Formation: The PGM was founded by King Fahd in 1985 to ensure compliance of civilians with Sharia law. (Wikipedia)
Date dissolved: Unknown
    Accuracy of date dissolved: day
Details of Termination: still active
Termination Type(s): none

Former and Successor Group Information

Predecessor group(s): none
Successor group(s): none
Private Military Company? no
Former Group? yes
    Former Armed Group? no information
Former Rebel Group? no information
    Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: none
PGM Becomes Rebel Group? no information
    Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: none

Government Relation, Support, and Training

Government Relation: semi-official (type 2)
Created by the Government?: no information
    Main Creating Government Institution: none
Government Link(s): state (institution)
    If link to party, name of party: None
Training and Equipment: unclear
Shared Information and Joint Operations: yes
Shared Personnel: unclear
Type(s) of Material Support: domestic government
State Sponsor(s): none
Other Connection(s):

Group Characteristics

Membership: religious
Primary Membership: religious
Alternative Primary Membership: no information
Location: nationwide
Force Strength: [3500, 9000]
Target(s): civilians; foreigners; religious group
Purpose(s): protect state, national or religious institutions

Ethnic Characteristics

Ethnic Target(s): none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: not applicable
Ethnic Membership: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: not applicable
Ethnic Purpose: none
    Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: not applicable

Other Information

Other Information: Other names include Mutaween and Hai’a. (Wikipedia)

New Variables from Meta-Analysis

Purpose

Purpose: The militia was used by the government to enforce strict Islamic laws. It was created by the government to ensure that citizens and foreigners abide by Sharia law and were often accompanied by police to arrest suspects. (Wikipedia)
Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use unknown

Treatment of Civilians

Treatment of Civilians: The militia patrolled streets, attacked and arrested civilians who disobeyed the strict Islamic laws. In 2002, sources reported of several girls dying in a burning school as militia members have stopped rescuers to enter due to the girls’ non-compliance with Sharia dress code. In 2007, after public criticism increased, the government has reduced the militia’s powers and members are not armed with canes any longer. (Zoepf 2013)
Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: killing; beating

Reasons for Membership

PGM Members Coerced? no information
PGM Members Paid? no information
Reasons for Membership: Members were largely uneducated, but there is no information on why they joined the committee.
PGM Members Killed? no information

PGM Size

Size: The militia was comprised of field officers and administrative personnel. While there were about 4,000 field officers, there were about 10,000 administrative personnel. (Lief 2013)

Weapons and Training

Weapons and Training: Militiamen carried sticks and whips to beat civilians who did not obey the religious laws.

Organisation

Organisation: The head of the organization was a member of Saudi Arabia’s cabinet and under direct control of the king. It operated as an official government agency. The agency had 3,500 to 4,000 field officers and about 10,000 administrative personnel. (Wikipedia)

Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis

Lief, Louise. 2013. “With youth pounding at kingdom's gates, Saudi Arabia begins religious police reform”. Christian Science Monitor. https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2013/0523/With-youth-pounding-at-kingdom-s-gates-Saudi-Arabia-begins-religious-police-reform.

Wikipedia. “Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Saudi Arabia)”. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Committee_for_the_Promotion_of_Virtue_and_the_Prevention_of_Vice_(Saudi_Arabia)&oldid=825117288.

Zoepf, Katherine. 2013. “Letters from Riyadh. Shopgirls. The art of selling lingerie”. The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/23/shopgirls.

Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD.

Evidence