"Two Films with One Ticket: The Legitimate Expectation and the Screening of 'Santouri' and 'Rastakhiz' at the Administrative Justice Court."

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Faculty of Law and Political Sciences of Allameh Tabatabai University

2 Assistant Professor of Public Law at Allame Tabatabai University

10.22099/jls.2026.54332.5387

Abstract

In Iran, film production and public screening require a permit from the Ministry of Culture. While both "Santouri" (2010) and "Rastakhiz" (2012) received these permits, they were subsequently banned from cinemas by order of the highest cinema official. This action was based on a legal clause allowing a halt in screenings due to vague "cultural and political necessities."



This power contradicts core administrative law principles: it violates legality, undermines the film review board's authority, and lacks requirements for providing evidence or reasoned justification for a ban.



The Administrative Justice Court issued two contrasting rulings on these cases. For "Santouri," the court rejected the challenge to the license revocation but acknowledged the claim for damages. For "Rastakhiz," the court only recognized that a violation had occurred by the authorities.



This difference stemmed from the different court laws applicable to each case (2006 vs. 2013), which changed the procedure for claiming damages. Both rulings, however, were based on the concept of a "vested right" (or legitimate expectation) held by the filmmakers—the expectation that once a permit is issued, it should not be arbitrarily revoked.

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Journal of Legal Studies

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 23 February 2026

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