Criminal Procedure (Ayin-e Dadresi-e Keyfari)
Core concepts
Criminal procedure governs investigation, prosecution, trial, and post-conviction review. Know the roles of the police (zehteh), the prosecutor (dādsarā), the investigating judge (bāzrasī), and the trial court; the rules on arrest and detention (bāzdāsht) and their time limits; and the rights of the accused, including access to counsel and the presumption of innocence. Understand the distinction between jarāyem-e moshhūd (flagrant) and ordinary offenses, and the routes of appeal and cassation.
Traps
The most common trap is confusing the authority competent to order each measure: detention requires judicial authorization, and extensions have statutory ceilings. Questions test whether evidence obtained unlawfully is admissible, and whether a complaint by the victim is a condition of prosecution (in private offenses) or merely a report. Distinguish the prosecutor's dismissal (mawqūf kardan) from the investigating judge's decision and from a final acquittal. Also note the rule that a flagrant offense permits immediate investigation without prior order.
Rule of thumb
For any procedural fact pattern, ask: which authority, which document, which deadline. Worked example: police detain a suspect for two days without judicial order. Even if the offense is flagrant, detention beyond the initial statutory period requires judicial authorization; the unlawfulness may affect the weight of statements obtained and exposes the officers to liability.