Political Crime under the New International System
Authors:   College of Law and Political Science - Al-Iraqia University - Iraq, Farman Al-drkzli Lecturer. Abbas H. 
Published: May 2023

The political crime is one of the crimes having close contact with public opinion. This view, which has had the greatest influence in determining the concept of this crime and the criminal policy persuaded upon them from one community to another, even within the same society through different stages of development. Political crime is a contemporary concept arisen due to the state's establishment with its new concept Political crimes represent an act of aggression on a general political interest presented in the victory of a particular ideology or particular political idea which may be dealing with other interests, by such aggression, which are considered as special interests protected by the criminal system and its political nature seems relative . And thus, the political crimes represent attacking one of the political elements that make up the state and assaulting the constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens when it is being committed with intent to cause political implications. Political crimes may be purely political crimes and represent assault affecting the state entity. These acts are political rebellion against the state itself. Political crimes may be relative crimes which have no clear political character. There are also political crimes associated with ordinary crimes. As political criminality represents the era feature which is full of ideas and changes. This type of crime has its own reasons leading to it. These reasons may be political such as dictatorship or political terrorism of the ruling authority and the lack of peaceful transfer of power characterizing such dictatorial regime, as well as controlling the states authorities. The state terrorism practiced against its citizens is of the reasons motivating committing political crimes as a reaction to such policies. As the economic factors are of the relevant factors interpreting the political criminality such as unemployment and poverty. Financial corruption of the governance system in the least democratic countries is also a major lesion causing many of political corruption and then political crimes. Social and cultural factors contribute significantly to the political crime. Religion is also of social factors affecting the political criminality motivating committing some political crimes and bring discord between the peoples of the same country. Education is one of the factors causing the political criminality as well. Conflicts of cultures, terrorist acts are of its forms and causes, are the most important factors leading to a political crime. Political crimes differs in their types and forms depending on the criminal legislations of the state. Whereas, what is a political crime in a country, it may not be a crime in another. However, in spite of this difference, they are virtually unanimous that every act being committed by political motivate, to achieve political ends or purposes or may be committed on fixed political rights provided by the constitution is a political crime even if the sanctions imposed on it are different.