The Thin Line Between Justice and Chaos: Exploring Mob Justice
MAHTAB, Tanvir – SHULTANA, Sadia
mob justice, mob lynching, mob violence, right to life, protection of laws
Publication
| Submitted | Accepted | Publicated | Issue |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 16. 2024 | November 29. 2024 | December 28. 2024 | Ember és Jog, 2024/1. |
Authors
Md. Tanvir Mahtab
Lecturer
Department of Law, Bangladesh University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
ORCID iD: 0009-0001-3629-6769
Sadia Shultana
Research Associate
Law Bridge, Dhaka, Bangladesh
How to cite
MAHTAB, Tanvir – SHULTANA, Sadia: The Thin Line Between Justice and Chaos: Exploring Mob Justice. Ember és Jog, 2024/1. 133–145.
Abstract
Mob justice is seen to be an emerging concern in South Asia recently. In many sensitive cases, we witnessed mob violence specially against political figures. Mob violence is an extraordinary act by a large group of people that disregards the rule of law in an attempt to enforce their own form of justice. This paper explores the complex phenomenon of mob justice, examining its legal, social, and ethical implications. It begins by defining mob justice and its psychological underpinnings, particularly focusing on deindividuation and the loss of personal accountability that often accompany collective actions. The discussion highlights the erosion of the rule of law and the potential for wrongful punishment, alongside the detrimental effects on community trust and the long-term consequences for both victims and perpetrators. Another focusing point of this paper is to investigate whether recourse to mob justice serves a legitimate purpose. Ultimately, it calls for a balanced approach to justice that upholds the rule of law while addressing community grievances, urging policymakers and communities to work collaboratively towards sustainable solutions.
Full text
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Copyright
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