Abstract:
At the early stages of the formation of human developed societies, penal reactions to political crimes were mainly within the protection sphere provided for the sovereign as the first representation of public sovereignty. Defending collective interests was the main reason on which the survival and continuity of societies were depended. In the sense that the concept of political crime finds its meaning in interaction between the sovereignty and individual freedoms; it is considered a relative and changing notion; which means the more the scope of public liberties extend, the more possible circumstances related to committing crimes will reduce. The present article has provided a brief but inclusive historical background of the evolution of political crime, the manner in which the political criminals were treated and punished by the authorities and the current approaches taken by states toward it.
Machine summary:
The Emergence of Political Crime Concept Page | 9 Abstract Mohammad Ali Ardebili* the early stages of the formation of human developed societies, penal reactions to political crimes were mainly within the protection sphere provided for the sovereign as the first representation of public sovereignty.
However, prior to describing a section of political crime evolution history, perhaps in agreement with French Lawyer, Henry Lévy-Bruhl,4 it can be stated that the word “political” is insufficient to define and to describe the various conducts that are in a way contrary to the sovereignty pillars and political structure.
A n c i e n t T i m e s In the ancient cities, in Rome or in Athens, there were no special procedural laws for judicial investigation of political crimes; the offenders were punished with the most severity.
For many years, in western states, during 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, there was no considerable change in public opinion, penal laws and procedure with regard to political crime.
At the present, though many of the acts that were considered crime against the poetical democratic system are decriminalized; political offences in its traditional sense, under the titles such as treason to the state or espionage, are still regarded as criminal acts in penal laws of these countries.
Notwithstanding these historical transformations, at the present, though many of the acts that were considered crime against the poetical democratic system are decriminalized; political offences in its traditional sense, under the titles such as treason to the state or espionage, are still regarded as criminal acts in penal laws of many countries.