Abstract

Despite their long-time physical presence in our country (Iran), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have not been taken seriously by the government and public institutions, and play no effective role in criminal proceedings. An innovative by 2013 criminal procedure code is to realize doctrine of participatory criminal policy through NGOs participation in criminal proceedings, which has been provided for by legislator in Article 66 of mentioned code which was amended suddenly within a few days prior to being approved to come into effect on the basis of an interesting decision and which degraded NGOs’ right to litigate into the limit of that of indictors and viewers at proceedings.

During proceedings, NGOs play the role of indictors and viewers, regardless of the lack of legal, cultural and social grounds necessary for them to take an active part in criminal proceedings in our country; and, in effect, they face such limitations and ambiguities as criteria of the recognition of their qualifications to do so (Article 66, provision 3). In addition, it is not clear how to develop NGOs’ participation in criminal proceedings and how to monitor their activities. Present study is intended to examine grounds of and barriers to NGO’s activity in criminal proceedings and to address vital roles they can play in the crime prevention and their involvement with criminal proceedings.

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