Law Dept. Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, Tabriz University
Abstract
Freedom of expression as one of the basic and axiomatic rights of everyone with some of the strong intellectual, religious, legal and political foundations has been stated in several principles of the Constitution of the IRI. But, these principles have freedom of expression subjected to certain exceptions such as non-interference in the fundamental principles of Islam or public rights or interests which are so general, could be interpreted and can limit the scope of freedom of expression that criminalizing any form of propaganda against the state or in favour of opposition groups in Article 500 of the Islamic Penal Code (1375) is among them. Although this criminalization doesn't evidently related to freedom of criticism but for the lack of a clear criteria for distinguishing propaganda from criticism, it undermines the principle of freedom of expression, therefore is unconstitutional and is apposed to the principle of legality, because isn't in the context of a clear legal definition of crime. With criminalizing any kind of propaganda which isn't coextensive with the government, the possibility of prosecuting any kind of incongruent criticism, analysis, opining and political activity and prevalence of flattery and sanctification, political, administrative and economic corruption spread. It seems that just propagandizing for or against someone as long as it dosen’t involve specific criminal behavior such as insult, calumny, false propaganda should not be considered a crime but it should be seen as the effect of the freedom of expression.
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Fakhr, H., & Dibamehr, M. (2018). Criticism on Criminalization of "Propaganda Activity" under the Freedom of Expression Principle. Islamic Law, 15(57), 125-155.
MLA
Hossein Fakhr; Mina Dibamehr. "Criticism on Criminalization of "Propaganda Activity" under the Freedom of Expression Principle". Islamic Law, 15, 57, 2018, 125-155.
HARVARD
Fakhr, H., Dibamehr, M. (2018). 'Criticism on Criminalization of "Propaganda Activity" under the Freedom of Expression Principle', Islamic Law, 15(57), pp. 125-155.
VANCOUVER
Fakhr, H., Dibamehr, M. Criticism on Criminalization of "Propaganda Activity" under the Freedom of Expression Principle. Islamic Law, 2018; 15(57): 125-155.