Honor and “Honor” Killing in the 2013 Iranian Penal Code

Previously, I have argued that the idea of “honor” is deeply embedded in Iran’s legal culture. In this article, I examine the 2013 Islamic Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran, focusing on the changes introduced since the previous code. In particular, the concept of mahdur al-dam , a person whose blood is forfeit, as outlined in Articles 302 and 303 of the new penal code, appears to have significance beyond questions of honor. It can be considered as a powerful legal-religious concept with implications for state-sanctioned violence, religious discrimination, and vigilantism—even as the term itself is not mentioned directly in the text of the penal code

Honor · Islam · Penal code · Sharia · Term (time · The Republic