A Critical Analysis of the Iranian Charter of Professional Ethics for Translators: A Case for Revision

Ethical issues are gaining more importance in the realm of Translation Studies. Ethics charters or codes of professional conduct for translators produced by professional associations seek to establish a set of ethical principles and to ensure that all members are adopting those principles in practicing their profession. The present study aims to examine the fundamental assumptions underlying the approved Iranian Charter of Professional Ethics for Translators in Iran and to explore the limitations of the Charter. Eighteen English codes of ethics for translators or translators and interpreters from countries located in various parts of the world were downloaded and analyzed to find the overall values and underlying principles commonly shared by the codes. Then, the principles underlying the Iranian Charter of Professional Ethics for Translators were analyzed to reveal the main points of similarity and difference between this Charter and the analyzed codes from around the world. Finally, the limitations of the Charter were discussed. The analyzed data revealed that the approved Iranian Charter of Professional Ethics for Translators is not very practical and could not be successful in regulating ethical practice across the translation profession in the Iranian context. Hence, it requires further modification before application.