Himicheva, O.V., Himicheva, G.P. On the improvement of principles of criminal judicial proceedings

Abstract: The object of studies concerns the modern condition of the system of principles of criminal judicial proceedings and the directions for its improvement, which are due to the changes in the social and political life of the state, as reflected by the criminal procedural law. The correction of this system as a whole and certain principles of criminal judicial proceedings in particular requires a balanced approach, which is base upon substantial theoretical studies. It is doubtful that the provisions lacking conceptual character for the criminal judicial proceedings should be included into the list of principles. The basic constitutional principle of judicial proceedings – the presumption of innocence should apply to any person, whose innocence is being challenged, rather than only to an accused and a suspect. The methodological basis for the study was formed by the materialistic methods of scientific cognitions of objective reality (deduction, induction, analysis, synthesis, logical, historical legal method, comparative legal method, structural functional method, etc.). The scientific novelty is due to the theoretical evaluation of the process of correction of legal regulation of the principles of criminal judicial proceedings, development of the propositions for the improvement of the system of principles and some specific principles. Due to the lack of clarity in the legal definition of the term “suspect” in criminal judicial proceedings, the authors offer to apply the presumption of innocence to any person, whose innocence is being challenged, rather than only to an accused and a suspect.

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