The Necessity of Human Rights-Based Legislation: transitioning from a dignity-avoiding criminal policy to a dignity-oriented criminal policy in light of Kantian thought

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Kant's categorical imperative represents a rational and unconditional command that obliges individuals to act in accordance with maxims capable of becoming universal laws, while regarding humanity as an end in itself endowed with the autonomy of practical reason. Within this framework, human rights emerge as one of the most salient practical applications of this principle, adherence to which constitutes not a matter of political discretion but a rational-moral imperative for states. The findings of this study reveal that this obligation rests on five foundational pillars: 1) the exigencies of practical reason; 2) the grounding of human rights in the good will; 3) the duties incumbent upon states toward their citizens; 4) the instrumental role of human rights in realizing republicanism as the sole legitimate form of governance; and 5) its indispensability for attaining perpetual global peace. Nonetheless, an analysis of the Islamic Republic's criminal policy demonstrates that convergence with human rights encounters substantial challenges across four dimensions: philosophical-valuational, legal-interpretive, political-governance, and identitarian. Consequently, the imperative for remedial measures is incontrovertible. That said, extending Kantian thought to the Islamic tradition necessitates careful consideration of foundational divergences, as Kant operates within the milieu of modern Western philosophy, whereas Islamic jurisprudence is predominantly anchored in divine revelation and prophetic tradition—disparities that render the process of adaptation intricate and demanding of theoretical rigor. The present inquiry, underscoring that Kantian philosophy serves not as a substitute for the Islamic tradition but as a scaffold for dialogue therewith, concludes that the shift toward a dignity-centered criminal policy is feasible solely through a renewed hermeneutic of Sharia: one that, illuminated by global rationality, embraces human rights, posits humanity as an end in itself, and exhibits openness to engagement with diverse philosophical and intellectual traditions. Such a modernization of Islamic thought does not entail deviation from Sharia but rather harnesses its intrinsic potentials to address contemporary exigencies, thereby fostering convergence and engendering theoretical and practical advancements in interplay with paradigms such as Kantian ethics and other moral frameworks.

Graphical Abstract

The Necessity of Human Rights-Based Legislation: transitioning from a dignity-avoiding criminal policy to a dignity-oriented criminal policy in light of Kantian thought

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