Analysis of The Crime of Propaganda Activities Against the Security of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Cyberspace

One of the major goals of any political system is to protect the security of the nation against propaganda activities in cyberspace carried out with the aim of soft subversion and civil disobedience. There are provisions for this matter in Iran’s Penal Code. The purpose of the study is drawing the legislator’s attention to the importance of criminalizing such activities with respect to its background in cyberspace. The present research attempt to answer the fundamental question of what constitutes the basis of the crime of propaganda activities against the security of the Islamic Republic of Iran in cyberspace? The research results show that the legal basis of the propaganda activities against the security of the Islamic Republic of Iran in cyberspace is provided in Article 500 of the former Penal Code, 731 of the new Islamic Penal Code and 21 of the Cybercrime Law. Its material basis includes propaganda activity against the Islamic Republic or for the benefit of opposition groups and organizations while its virtual basis is general and specific bad faith, which means the deliberate intention to breach, subvert and undermine the governing system. Therefore, any propaganda activity in cyberspace, which undermines the security and dignity of the nation must be criminalized and punished