Ensuring Proper Access of Asylum Seekers and Refugees to the Criminal Justice System

Authors

    Ali Asghar Zarei Departmant of Law, Qo.C., Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran
    Gholamreza Peivandi * Departmant of Law, Research Institute for Islamic Culture and Thought, Qom, Iran peyvandi@iict.ac.ir
    Hydarali Jahanbakhshi Departmant of Law, Isl.C., Islamic Azad University, Islamshahr, Iran

Keywords:

Refugees, asylum seekers, criminal justice system, access to court, access to lawyer

Abstract

This study examines strategies to ensure asylum seekers and refugees have proper access to the criminal justice system, focusing on the promotion of justice and the protection of human rights for these vulnerable groups. The importance of this issue lies in preventing discrimination and legal inequalities against asylum seekers and refugees. The findings indicate that the development of coherent legislation, the provision of education and awareness-raising for refugees, and the facilitation of their access to judicial and legal authorities can play a direct role in improving access to the criminal justice system for these groups. Moreover, addressing social barriers through changes in public attitudes and the sharing of successful experiences leads to greater societal acceptance and cooperation. In the economic sphere, financial support and the establishment of social support offices reduce the costs of access, while simplifying complex administrative processes related to filing and following up on complaints accelerates the implementation of criminal justice. Training judicial employees in appropriate interactions with refugees, along with strengthening their dignity and respect, fosters trust and cultural adaptation. Overall, the integration of these strategies provides an effective opportunity to guarantee rights, enhance justice, and create an independent and reliable judicial structure, resulting in improved access to the criminal justice system for asylum seekers and refugees.

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Published

2025-10-26

Submitted

2025-06-01

Revised

2025-09-13

Accepted

2025-09-24

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Zarei, A. A. ., Peivandi, G., & Jahanbakhshi, H. (2025). Ensuring Proper Access of Asylum Seekers and Refugees to the Criminal Justice System. Legal Studies in Digital Age, 1-10. https://jlsda.com/index.php/lsda/article/view/221

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