论脆弱证人作证制度

On the System of Vulnerable Witness

脆弱证人是指那些按照通常的方式作证会对自身产生不利影响或不能全面、准确地提供证言的证人。在相关国家,脆弱证人主要包括三类:未成年人,性犯罪案件中的被害人以及按照通常方式作证可能对自身产生不利影响或影响证言质量的其他证人。为了最大限度地保护脆弱证人,提高其证言的质量,相关国家的法律规定了脆弱证人适用特殊的作证方式。虽然这在理论上受到了一些质疑,但是这些质疑并不能否定脆弱证人作证制度。在我国,刑事诉讼法对脆弱证人缺乏相应规定,理论界对脆弱证人作证制度也没有进行系统的研究。"推进以审判为中心的诉讼制度改革"迫切需要我国确立脆弱证人作证制度。

Vulnerable witnesses are those who will be detrimentally affected or cannot fully and accurately give testimonies by testifying in the usual way. In the countries concerned,vulnerable witnesses include minors,victims of sexual offenses and other witnesses who will be detrimentally affected or whose testimony will be adversely influenced by testifying in the usual way. In order to maximize the protection of vulnerable witnesses and improve the quality of their testimony,the countries concerned have provided special ways of testifying for vulnerable witnesses. Although some scholars criticized special ways of testifying for vulnerable witnesses theoretically,the system of vulnerable witness cannot be overturned. In China,neither the criminal procedure law has provisions for vulnerable witnesses,nor the system of vulnerable witnesses has been studied systematically. Promoting the reform towards a trial- centered criminal procedure requires the system of vulnerable witnesses urgently.