Conditions for the Realization of the Defense of Duress in the Criminal Law of Iran and the United States
Keywords:
exemption, justifiable reasons, criminal liability, coercion, duress, defenseAbstract
According to Article 153 of the Islamic Penal Code of Iran, if a person commits a crime under duress and severe coercion, they may be exempt from criminal liability. In the Iranian legal system, duress must be intense and unbearable, meaning that the pressure exerted on the individual must be of such a degree that it disrupts the freedom of will and compels the person to commit the offense. In Iran, the accused must present acceptable evidence to establish the existence of duress, and the burden of proof rests upon the defendant (Islamic Penal Code of Iran, 2013). In the legal system of the United States, duress is recognized as a legal defense; however, its application depends on state law and therefore varies among jurisdictions. In some states, the conditions of duress may arise from severe psychological pressure, whereas in others they are primarily associated with physical coercion. Consequently, the legal requirements for duress differ across states. In many U.S. jurisdictions, once the defendant invokes duress, the burden may shift to the prosecution to prove that the defendant did not act under duress, and this allocation of the burden of proof can significantly influence the outcome of the case. Although both legal systems acknowledge duress as a legitimate defense, they differ substantially in their procedural details, substantive conditions, and evidentiary standards.
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