隐蔽作证程序的限度探析

A Study of Witness Anonymity Limitation

隐蔽作证对证人合法权利的保护具有重要的意义,但同时也会限制被告人对质权、辩护权等正当权利的行使,影响审判程序的公正性和公开性。从确保程序公正和实体真实的角度考量,域外法治国家均在利益衡量的基础上从实体限制和程序控制两个方面对隐蔽作证进行了法律规制。虽然我国2012年《刑事诉讼法》首次以立法的形式对隐蔽作证制度予以肯定,且2018年《刑事诉讼法》延续了这一规定,但规定的宽泛性和原则性极易导致隐蔽作证在司法实践中的无限适用。基于此,我国立法和司法解释有必要在借鉴其他国家隐蔽作证制度的基础上,对该制度的适用条件、对象、手段,以及程序作出进一步细化和完善,以此实现刑事诉讼中不同利益之间的协调。

Witness anonymity plays an important role in the protection of the witness's rights, but it will also restrict the defendant's exercise of the legitimate rights such as pledge and defense, and affect the fairness and openness of the trial procedure. From the point of view of ensuring procedural justice and substantive reality, many foreign countries regulate witness anonymity by substantive restriction and procedural control. Chinese Criminal Procedure Law in 2012 affirmed the witness anonymity in the form of legislation for the first time, and these provisions were preserved in the 2018 Criminal Procedure Law. However, the provisions are so broad and principled that they can easily lead to the unlimited application of witness anonymity in judicial practice. In order to achieve the coordination of different interests in criminal procedure, it is necessary for our legislation and judicial interpretation to refine the applicable conditions, objects, means and procedures of this system.