constitutional criminal law in iran: a contradictory approach, from challenges to a gradual shift

Constitutional criminal law is formed two main disciplines of law, i.e. constitutional law and criminal law that their common point is state power and public order or security. at the same time, fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens are also the common feature of this interdisciplinary field of study that overlaps with human rights, esp. in a global scale named international human rights law. it consists of a body of principles and rules, which are defined and guaranteed in the domestic constitution of countries based on the rule of law and democracy. meanwhile, the constitution of islamic republic of iran encompasses several criminal law principles among which the non-discrimination and equality, the legality of crime and punishment and criminal procedure, and the non-torture face challenges from the perspective of human rights. these challenges mainly relate to a reluctant attitude of iran to some of the international norms of human rights that are in conflict with the superiority of islamic rules (shari’a) within the iranian post-revolutionary legal system. the present paper focuses on these three constitutional principles and challenges that they face in the contradiction of domestic statutory law and international human rights law. the author concludes that despite the current challenges, a gradual shift towards balancing the superiority principle and international norms has been emerging.

constitutional criminal law in iran: a contradictory approach, from challenges to a gradual shift

constitutional criminal law is formed two main disciplines of law, i.e. constitutional law and criminal law that their common point is state power and public order or security. at the same time, fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens are also the common feature of this interdisciplinary field of study that overlaps with human rights, esp. in a global scale named international human rights law. it consists of a body of principles and rules, which are defined and guaranteed in the domestic constitution of countries based on the rule of law and democracy. meanwhile, the constitution of islamic republic of iran encompasses several criminal law principles among which the non-discrimination and equality, the legality of crime and punishment and criminal procedure, and the non-torture face challenges from the perspective of human rights. these challenges mainly relate to a reluctant attitude of iran to some of the international norms of human rights that are in conflict with the superiority of islamic rules (shari’a) within the iranian post-revolutionary legal system. the present paper focuses on these three constitutional principles and challenges that they face in the contradiction of domestic statutory law and international human rights law. the author concludes that despite the current challenges, a gradual shift towards balancing the superiority principle and international norms has been emerging.