A Jurisprudential Study of Desecration of People in the Press

Press activities provide an appropriate opportunity to promote freedom of expression but such activities are bound by certain limitations that are acceptable to all legal systems including Shiite legal and jurisprudential system. Among the limitations of the freedom of expression is¡ according to Shia jurisprudence¡ the prohibition of defamation and desecration of natural and legal persons in the form of mocking¡ putting blame on someone¡ committing an outrageous and sacrilegious act¡ desecrating natural and legal persons and backbiting them. The difference is in the definition of these titles and a lack of precise definitions for some of them which have led to discrepancies in the verdicts. The article making use of critical and analytical method of research enables us to know that despite all the differences¡ what is certain is that the press do not have the right to desecrate natural and legal persons under the pretext of «satirical writing» ¡ «common good» ¡ «freedom to questioning and casting doubt» ¡ «lack of respect of the unfaithful» and «lack of respect of the heretic».