Analysis of the Foundations of Compensation for Non-Pecuniary Damages in Iranian Law
Keywords:
Moral damage, civil liability, compensation, constitutional law, civil liability law, no-harm ruleAbstract
Compensation for non-pecuniary damages in Iranian law, contrary to certain restrictive interpretations, is neither an unfounded institution nor a merely moral concept; rather, it is supported by substantial jurisprudential, legal, and rational foundations. From a jurisprudential perspective, principles such as the rule of no harm (La Darar), destruction (Itlaf), causation (Tasbib), deception (Ghorur), negation of hardship and distress, the principle that the blood of a Muslim shall not be rendered futile, the maxim “he who enjoys the benefit must bear the burden,” the practice of rational persons, and human dignity possess the capacity to protect non-financial human rights, including honor, reputation, social standing, psychological tranquility, and personal identity. Although some of these principles appear, at first glance, to concern financial or bodily injuries, their underlying rationale—namely the prohibition of causing harm, prevention of rights violations, protection of rationally recognized values, and the obligation of the wrongdoer to provide compensation—is not confined to material property. From both rational and jurisprudential perspectives, human personality, social dignity, and psychological well-being are values worthy of legal protection, and interference with them may give rise to liability and legal responsibility. From a statutory perspective, the Iranian legal system has explicitly recognized non-pecuniary damages. Article 171 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran expressly refers to “material or non-material damage” and imposes an obligation to restore reputation, thereby constituting the most significant constitutional basis for such compensation. Article 22 of the Constitution further protects the dignity, life, property, rights, residence, and occupation of individuals from unlawful interference. At the level of ordinary legislation, the Civil Liability Act of 1960, particularly Articles 1, 2, 8, 9, and 10, recognizes the right to claim and recover non-pecuniary damages and even provides for non-monetary remedies such as apologies and the publication of judicial decisions in newspapers. Furthermore, Article 14 of the Criminal Procedure Code permits claims for moral damages resulting from criminal acts. Consequently, the principal issue in Iranian law is not the compensability of non-pecuniary damages as such, but rather the manner of proving such damages, assessing them, determining appropriate standards of compensation, and developing a coherent judicial practice in this field.
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