“存疑时有利于被告”原则的适用界限

Applying Limit of the Doctrine “The Accused Presumed Innocent until Proven Guilty”

刑事诉讼的本质与特征、刑法的机能与特点决定了必须实行“存疑时有利于被告的原则”。但是，司法机关不得滥用本原则，而应注意适用界限：（１）只有对事实存在合理怀疑时，才能适用该原则；（２）对法律存在疑问时，应根据解释目标与规则进行解释，不能适用该原则；（３）在立法上就某种情形设置有利于被告的规定时，对被告人的有利程度，应当以刑法的明文规定为根据；（４）在对行为人的主观心理状态的认定存在疑问时，应进行合理推定，而不能适用该原则宣告无罪；（５）虽然不能确信被告人实施了某一特定犯罪行为，但能够确信被告人肯定实施了另一处罚较轻的犯罪行为时，应择一认定为轻罪，而不得适用该原则宣告无罪。

The applying of the doctrine of “the accused presumed innocent until proven guilty” is based on the nature and basic character of criminal lawsuit aswell as the function and characteristics of criminal law. But the judicial organs should pay attention to the limit when they apply the doctrine. Such as, the judicial organ must have the rational doubts of the unproven facts of the offence when applying the doctrine, if the doubts being with the law itself, it can not use the doctrine; the favorable provisions to the accused in legislation should be written clearly in criminal law; if the accused can not be proven guilty for the certain offence, but can be certainly proven guilty for the other light offence , should be sanctioned for the light crime and should not be declared innocent.