Covid-19 Pandemic and its Impact on Criminal Proceeding(Comparative Study in France, Belgium and Iran)

More than a year has passed since the Corona-virus pandemic, but in this short period of time, this virus has affected various dimensions of human life. Criminal proceeding has not been immune to the deleterious effects of this pandemic. Virtualizing the criminal justice process in order to reduce referral to the courts, changing in the structure of the courts, modifying the terms of trial and suspending the prescription are some of changes introduced in the wake of Corona-virus pandemic. This article aims to examine criminal proceeding adjustments in the penal systems of France, Belgium and Iran from a comparative approach. The analysis of the legal systems of France, Belgium and Iran suggests that the expansion of the electronic process is a common feature shared by all three systems. Changes in trial terms and suspension of prescription were shared by the French and Belgian systems, whereas alterations in the structure of courts was exclusive to the French system.