Introduction: Professional ethics in criminal proceedings is among the most critical elements ensuring justice and protecting the rights of the accused. In Iran’s judicial system, despite legal advancements in safeguarding defendants’ rights, adherence to professional ethics still faces numerous challenges that can affect both the quality of proceedings and the legitimacy of the judicial system. The purpose of this study is to examine the concept of professional ethics, its theoretical and philosophical foundations, its place in various stages of criminal proceedings, and its role in ensuring the rights of the accused.
Material and Methods: This paper employs a descriptive-analytical approach to explore the topic. It also examines existing challenges within Iran’s judicial system and compares them with the experiences of other countries in the field of professional ethics through a comparative analysis.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that professional ethics-beyond legal requirements-can ensure the rights of the accused throughout all stages of criminal proceedings, including investigation, prosecution, trial, and execution of judgment, by reinforcing impartiality, independence, honesty, and respect for human dignity. Conversely, the lack of continuous training, the absence of effective oversight mechanisms, and external pressures constitute the main obstacles to the realization of professional ethics in Iran. This study emphasizes that adopting measures such as developing binding ethical charters, providing continuous education, promoting organizational culture, strengthening supervision, and utilizing international experiences can institutionalize professional ethics and ensure the practical protection of defendants’ rights. Ultimately, professional ethics should be regarded not only as an instrument for observing the rights of the accused but also as a fundamental pillar of legitimacy and public trust in the criminal justice system.