La dignidad humana como límite al ius puniendi. La jurisprudencia del tribunal constitucional de Chile

Abstract

Human Dignity as a Limit to ius puniendi. The Case Law of the Constitutional Court of Chile

A dignidade humana como limite ao ius puniendi. A jurisprudência do tribunal constitucional do Chile

This article expounds the case law of the Constitutional Court of Chile on human dignity as a fundamental value of the Chilean Constitution and how it is instituted with a limit to the state ius puniendi. Doctrinal texts, both national and foreign, are presented around the notion of human dignity and its incorporation into constitutions, specifically the Chilean Constitution. The case law of the Court is also analyzed to look into its idea of human dignity and the manner and scope of its application. The Court considers human dignity as an intrinsic condition of the human being, resulting in a duty of respect and consideration, mainly by the state. The constitutional recognition of dignity involves regarding it as the basis of political and social order in the context of a democratic rule of law. This gives rise to and materializes in a series of principles of punitive law, such as the presumption of innocence, non bis in idem, culpability and proportional justice, which necessarily limit the subjective criminal law of the state.

Para citar este artículo / To reference this article / Para citar este artigo

Marcelo Ignacio Ovalle Bazán, “La dignidad humana como límite al ius puniendi. La jurisprudencia del tribunal constitucional de Chile”, en Dikaion, 28, 1 (2019). 35-68. DOI: 10.5294/dika.2019.28.1.2

Recibido: 02/08/2018

Aceptado: 17/09/2018