Faṣlnāmah-i Pizhūhish-i Huqūq-i Kiyfarī (Jun 2023)
A Fresh Research on Obstacles to Qisas
Abstract
Qisas, as one of the most important punishments that has entered Iran's criminal laws from Sharia sources, has causes and obstacles that distinguish it from other punishments. The present article, which is written with a descriptive analytical method, is in the position of explaining the obstacles to the implementation of qisas and their practical application, as well as the separation of these obstacles from the obstacles to proving qisas and the causes of its downfall, which will also have important practical effects. According to this research, the obstacles to the implementation of qisas in the Iranian law are the obstacles that hinder its implementation despite the existence of qisas, and despite them, the perpetrator's qisas is canceled forever or for a period of time. Known or unknown will be delayed. These obstacles are of two categories. Some categories, such as the pregnancy of a woman and the need to pay the ransom to the perpetrator by the the victim’s heirs, only temporarily stop the execution of qisas, in which case the owner of the right to qisas has no choice but to either forgive and or to wait until the obstacle is removed and then executes qisas. Therefore, he cannot demand ransom from him without perpetrator's consent. But another group of obstacles to execution of qisas are obstacles that permanently or for an indefinite period exclude the possibility of execution of qisas, which include the death of a person or escape and lack of access to him. In this assumption, the legislator, following the opinion of some jurists, has considered the owner of the right of qisas to demand ransom even without the consent of the perpetrator; without considering the right of qisas to be void in the cases where the possibility of qisas is provided later, in the latter case, if the owner of the right has not waived his right, he can demand the execution of qisas by returning the payment. Similar to the situation where the perpetrator is arrested after the escape of a person and taking the ransom from his property. The only exception to this among the obstacles with an indefinite period is the situation in which, despite issuing a sentence for qisas, its execution requires the payment of ransom to "some of victim’s heirs", such as when some of heirs forgive the perpetrator and others demand ransom. Therefore, heirs demanding qisas will first give the share of the pardoners to perpetrator and give the share of the rest to them and then execute the qisas.Hence, in line with the articles 450 and 558 of the Islamic Penal Code, differentiation between the impermissibility of qisas and its impossibility, in any case where execution of qisas is not possible for an indefinite period, the owner of the right, while maintaining his right, is allowed it will be on demand. Therefore, if one of the conjoined twins commits an murder, even though qisas is not applicable in order to avoid harm to the other person, and the owner of the right can demand ransom, but if some time after that, If the said twins are separated, the right of qisas will still be applicable; Such a thing clearly shows the difference between the obstacles to execution and the causes of its downfall. It is not permissible to carry out qisas in the causes of qisas, and if the owner of the right harms a person after it has fallen, he has committed a crime that will be subject to qisas. Contrary to the obstacles of execution of qisas, which, despite the permissibility of execution of qisas, it is not possible to apply it, and therefore, whenever such a possibility is provided, its permissibility will remain in force. On this basis, the death of a person is one of the permanent obstacles to the implementation of qisas. In other words, only credit matters cause qisas to fall, and death is one of the real things that make qisas execution impossible.
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