Introduction

Contemporary international law has adopted novel legal principles and norms that reject the use of immunity as a shield for violations of human rights standards. It treats prosecution as a necessary response to moral imperatives stemming from human conscience. Nevertheless, heads of states continue to evade accountability by invoking the rules of immunity from criminal responsibility. In response, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that states are obligated to criminalize offenses and exercise jurisdiction in a deterrent and preventive manner, compelling them to equip their legal systems for the prosecution and trial. These judicial rulings prompted the International Law Commission (ILC) to establish a legal framework that removes such immunity for those individuals. In this regard, the present research focused on the immunity of state officials vis‑à‑vis criminal jurisdiction. By scrutinizing the scope of immunity of state officials, it aimed to clarify the conditions under which national courts may exercise jurisdiction over officials who commit international crimes.

Literature Review

The jurisdiction of countries in prosecuting state officials has received little attention in Persian‑language scholarship. It is typically addressed only in the sections on diplomatic immunity in the books on public international law. Even this latter perspective deals with the immunity of diplomats and consular officers, overlooking a wide range of state officials. However, some Persian studies do tackle this gap. For instance, Immunity of States and State Officials From the Viewpoint of International Law (Ziyaei-Bigdeli, 2009) examined the immunities afforded to states and officials. However, Bigdeli’s analysis predates the establishment of the ILC’s investigative mandate.

Materials and Methods

The current study adopted a descriptive–analytical approach and a library research method. The analysis began by examining the ICJ’s procedure for trying state officials. It then investigated how the ICJ’s procedure would align with the ILC’s approach to the immunity of state officials from criminal jurisdiction.

Results and Discussion

Immunity in public international law is a special status that protects its holders and shields them from certain forms of aggression. In practice, this means that the holder is exempt from prosecution and legal proceedings in the host state. The ICJ has clarified that immunity does not eliminate responsibility. Instead, it limits prosecution to specific times and circumstances. For example, the Minister of Foreign Affairs or the head of a state does not enjoy immunity for non-official acts after the term of office ends. At the same time, by reaffirming the priority of jus cogens—that is, recognizing the hierarchy of legal rules—the ICJ’s reasoning offers a strong basis for challenging immunity where criminal responsibility is required. Taken together, these judicial opinions helped inform the ILC’s attempt to narrow or remove immunity ratione materiae in cases involving serious international crimes.
According to international law, the immunity of state officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction—as outlined in the ILC’s draft—precludes immunity ratione materiae for certain serious crimes. Specifically, the following offenses are excluded from protection: Genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, crimes of apartheid, torture, and enforced disappearance. These crimes are prohibited under both international treaties and customary international law. States are therefore obligated to equip their legal systems with the tools necessary to investigate, prosecute, and punish perpetrators. This commitment is erga omnes, that is, a common obligation that applies to all states. Therefore, the state officials who commit any of the above crimes will be subject to prosecution and trial in the courts of the competent state after they leave office.

Conclusion

This study concludes that immunity rules only temporarily hinder the exercise of jurisdiction—either for a specific period or in relation to certain crimes—but cannot completely absolve an individual from criminal responsibility. Moreover, states have a shared global interest in fulfilling their obligation to exercise jurisdiction in cases involving violations of jus cogens. In this respect, the ILC has removed immunity ratione materiae in cases involving serious crimes committed by foreign officials. This places an obligation on the competent state to prosecute such individuals in accordance with applicable international law and the laws and procedures of the forum state.