Research and Development in Public Law

Research and Development in Public Law

Memory Laws and the Regulation of Collective Memory: Analyzing Legal Consequences in Light of Democratic Principles

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
masoumeh Ameri 1
Zahra Ameri 2
1 Department of Law, Faculty of Humanities, university of Gonabad .Gonabad.Iran
2 Department of Law, Faculty of Administrative and Economic Sciences, University of Bojnord, Bojnord, Iran
10.22034/jrpl.2026.2080295.1199
Abstract
This research, employing a descriptive-analytical approach, conducts a comparative study of memory laws as a legal intervention for shaping and regulating collective memory. Although the memory laws, which originated from the fields of post-colonialism, negationism, and national identity management, were formed with the intention of protecting the victims, preventing the distortion of the truth, and strengthening democracy, and they include a range of symbolic actions to criminalizations, nevertheless, in practice, they have sometimes become a tool for collective memory engineering, establishing the government's official narrative, and limiting freedom of expression. Focusing on memory laws as a tool for shaping cultural memory and public discourse, the current research analyzes the typology of these laws and the theoretical and practical challenges related to them. As a result, the following key questions are raised: Is it possible and desirable to protect the memory of historical events through legislative interventions? If the answer is positive, should the desired function of such measures be punitive or merely symbolic? And if such an intervention is considered justified, what frameworks and limitations should be considered to ensure its compatibility with democratic principles, especially freedom of expression?Analysis shows that while these laws attempt to legally recognize historical injustices, affirm the dignity of victims, and prevent the recurrence of tragedies, they possess a high potential to become a political tool for controlling the official narrative of historical events and limiting freedom of expression. Citing critics’ concerns, this study argues that the criminalization of alternative historical interpretations is an example of over-criminalization and conflicts with some democratic principles. On the other hand, mechanisms such as multilateral education, facilitating independent research on historical events and incidents, and forming fact-finding commissions offer non-punitive and more principled paths to preserving historical memory. Finally, this study emphasizes the need to remove the regulation of these laws from the scope of ideological governance and to formulate them based on collective understanding and through independent institutions, so that memorial laws, instead of consolidating power, pave the way for historical truth and fairness within the context of free dialogue
Keywords
Memory law
historical amnesia
collective memory
punitive laws
declaratory laws
Subjects
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Research and Development in Public Law

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 29 June 2026