|
While watching CNN's Student News with my class today, they talked about a man who was sentenced in Iran to have acid thrown in his face. The reason for thi odd and harsh punishment is that it is the exact same thing that he did to his ex-fiance when she informed him that she no longer wanted to marry him. According to Iranian courts, this is a just punishment because it fits the crime the man commited. My first class of students were divided on whether this was an accepteble punishment or not. So I began to wonder what you, the intrepid members of the Paizo community, thought about the subject. Is this a just punishment or not? If not what would be a better way of deaaling with this crime? Will it, as the woman who was the original victim hopes, act as a deterant for further acts like this against women? Discuss.
I saw that news article as well.
I am really torn. I can only imagine the pain and suffering this poor woman has endured. She remains hopeful that she will marry one day, but considering where she is from and their prejudices, it is likely her choice of suitors has been irrevocably altered by this. Her life has been changed in so many ways and I do not think many of them are good.
Does this give her the right to inflict the same upon another? She said this is not about revenge, but her quote seemed to indicate otherwise to me.
I would like to think that if I were in her place, I would not ask for this type of punishment upon anyone.
On the other hand, would this deter others?
While watching CNN's Student News with my class today, they talked about a man who was sentenced in Iran to have acid thrown in his face. The reason for thi odd and harsh punishment is that it is the exact same thing that he did to his ex-fiance when she informed him that she no longer wanted to marry him. According to Iranian courts, this is a just punishment because it fits the crime the man commited. My first class of students were divided on whether this was an accepteble punishment or not. So I began to wonder what you, the intrepid members of the Paizo community, thought about the subject. Is this a just punishment or not? If not what would be a better way of deaaling with this crime? Will it, as the woman who was the original victim hopes, act as a deterant for further acts like this against women? Discuss.
I think that it is fair. Depending on how teh man felt afterwards. I would have proposed a (slightly)lighter sentence had he only done it in grief.
|
Criminal Punishment is usually either "revenge" (example: Typical Viking Law) driven or "justice" (Example: US law) driven.
Revenge based punishment seeks to ease the pain of the victim, but punishing the offender in a way that pleases our emotional need for revenge.
Justice based systems penalize in a way that protects the human rights of all involved.
With that in mind, I do not think it is a just punishment. Justice is not the goal however. Revenge was. I think it met the "revenge" goal.