Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

Revisiting Absolute Universal Jurisdiction in Iranian Criminal Law: Reflections in Light of the Belgian Experience

Document Type : Original Article

Author
PhD in Criminal Law and Criminology, Adalat University, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
Articles 18 and 19 of the Draft Bill on the “Jurisdiction of the Courts of the Islamic Republic of Iran with respect to International Crimes,” formally introduced before the Islamic Consultative Assembly on 16 July 2025, seek to establish a framework of universal jurisdiction for Iranian domestic courts in relation to genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. Such jurisdiction authorizes national judicial authorities to prosecute serious international crimes traditionally regarded as falling within the competence of international criminal tribunals, most notably the International Criminal Court. The aforementioned provisions subject the exercise of universal jurisdiction to a limited number of conditions, while remaining silent regarding several other requirements ordinarily associated with the exercise of universal criminal jurisdiction, including the broader considerations reflected in Article 9 of the Islamic Penal Code. Against this background, the present article seeks, through doctrinal analysis and library-based research, to elucidate the underlying legislative intentions informing the proposed jurisdictional framework. To this end, the study first examines the concept and theoretical foundations of absolute universal jurisdiction, before identifying and analyzing the assumptions and implications that may be inferred from the text of the proposed provisions. The study further addresses the ambiguities and deficiencies embedded within the draft legislation and subsequently examines the experience of Belgium in its controversial and accelerated implementation of absolute universal jurisdiction. Drawing upon comparative experience and developments in customary international law and treaty law, the researcher argues that, notwithstanding the fundamental importance of universal jurisdiction in combating impunity and ensuring accountability for grave international crimes, the jurisdictional model contemplated in the proposed Iranian legislation requires substantial reconsideration and a more precise redefinition of its scope, limits, and juridical contours.
Keywords

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