Review of Acid Throwing Crime: How to Punishment, Methods of Prevention

Document Type : Review Article

Author

Professor of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Hazrate Fateme Hospital, Tehran, Iran

Abstract
Acid throwing as a formidable violence is more common in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Pakistan. There is a close connection between acid throwing crime and the social status of women. Regarding the irreparable damage of this crime and, more importantly, destroying the beauty of the victim's face, for some people, it is even heavier than the offense of intentional murder. Since acid throwing has been spread in Iran in recent years, a comparative study of punishment of this crime in Iran with these four countries, according to their legal system, appears to be useful. Therefore, type, quality and quantity of punishment and penalizing the criminal can be helpful in better understanding of criminal law, using strengths and covering weaknesses in legislation. According to the results of this study, there is no enough standard law in this country to deter acid throwing. Accordingly, its production, distribution and sale should be limited and preventable, and its illegal distribution must be punished. Since acid throwing is rarely fatal but causes serious damage to one's appearance and beauty, death penalty is rarely imposed. It is important to note that acid burn is a lifelong disease therefore criminal must incur all of conventional expenses of victim for a lifetime in addition to the wergild.

Keywords


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