This article presents a comparative study of the crime of "baghi" during the Safavid era and the Islamic Penal Code of 2013. Using a descriptive-analytical method and drawing upon reliable historical sources including ʿĀlam-ārā-ye ʿAbbāsī, Rawżat al-Ṣafawiyya, Aḥsan al-Tawārīkh, and Jahāngoshā-ye Khāqān as well as the 2013 Islamic Penal Code, this research elucidates the concepts of "baghi" and "bughat", the evolution of the associated legal provisions, and the role of this crime in maintaining social and political order. The central focus of the study is to compare and analyze the concept, instances and penalties associated with "baghi" across these two historical periods, addressing the extent to which the definition and rulings regarding this crime align with Imamia jurisprudence or have undergone transformation. The findings indicate that during the Safavid era, the term "baghi" was primarily used to denote armed insurrection and opponent to the government; Safavid historians sought to legitimize and necessitate the suppression and elimination of dissidents by applying jurisprudential terms such as :baghi" and "taghi" to them. Similarly, the Islamic Penal Code of 2013 classifies "baghi" as a crime against the government, utilizing a comparable definition. Although the jurisprudential roots of the crime have been largely preserved, the nature of the prescribed punishments has changed. This analysis contributes to a better understanding of the challenges and evolutions within Iran’s jurisprudence-based criminal law and clarifies the legal status of the crime of "baghi" within its historical context.
negahi mokhlesabadi, M. (2026). The Crime of “Baghi” in the Mirror of Safavid History with Reference to the Islamic Penal Code Enacted in 2013. Criminal law and Criminology Studies, 55(3), 61–79. https://doi.org/10.22059/jqclcs.2026.407833.2062
MLA
negahi mokhlesabadi, M. "The Crime of “Baghi” in the Mirror of Safavid History with Reference to the Islamic Penal Code Enacted in 2013", Criminal law and Criminology Studies, 55, 3, 2026, 61–79. doi: 10.22059/jqclcs.2026.407833.2062
HARVARD
negahi mokhlesabadi, M. (2026). 'The Crime of “Baghi” in the Mirror of Safavid History with Reference to the Islamic Penal Code Enacted in 2013', Criminal law and Criminology Studies, 55(3), pp. 61–79. doi: 10.22059/jqclcs.2026.407833.2062
CHICAGO
negahi mokhlesabadi, M., "The Crime of “Baghi” in the Mirror of Safavid History with Reference to the Islamic Penal Code Enacted in 2013." Criminal law and Criminology Studies, 55 3 (2026): 61–79, doi: 10.22059/jqclcs.2026.407833.2062
VANCOUVER
negahi mokhlesabadi M. The Crime of “Baghi” in the Mirror of Safavid History with Reference to the Islamic Penal Code Enacted in 2013. Criminal law and Criminology Studies. 2026;55(3):61–79 (In Persian). doi: 10.22059/jqclcs.2026.407833.2062