Balancing Innovation and Human Rights: Legal and Ethical Challenges of Applying Artificial Intelligence in the Criminal Justice System

Document Type : Scientific Research

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Law, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran.

2 Master of Science in Criminology, Faculty of Humanities, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran

Abstract

The rapid growth of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal and judicial fields has presented legal systems with the challenge of utilizing this technology while simultaneously ensuring the rights of individuals. The criminal justice system, as one of the sensitive areas, requires a balance between technological innovations and observance of human rights principles. This study, using a descriptive-analytical method, seeks to answer the question of what challenges exist in order to balance technology and human rights to achieve justice in the criminal field. The findings show that the use of artificial intelligence systems, as a symbol of innovation and efficiency, requires maintaining a balance between reliance on algorithmic data and observance of transparency, human oversight, and human rights principles. In Iran, documents such as the National Document on Artificial Intelligence (approved in 1403), the Seventh Development Plan Law (approved in 1403), the Executive Regulation on the Use of New Technologies in Judicial Processes (approved in 1404), and the Guidelines for Smartening and Electronicizing Judicial Processes and Cases (approved in 1403) provide a framework for the responsible use of AI. However, the lack of precise enforcement mechanisms and transparency standards increases the risk of violations of fundamental rights such as privacy, the principle of innocence, and the prohibition of discrimination.

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References

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Civil Law Knowledge
Volume 15, Issue 29 - Serial Number 29
September 2026
Pages 43-64

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