Human Rights Safeguards in Criminal Procedure——An interview with Prof.Fan Chongyi

The issue relating to human rights safeguards in criminal procedure has of late attracted extensive attention. A Human Rights reporter recently interviewed Prof. Fan Chongyi of China University of Political Science and Law on the issue. Following are excerpts of the interview.

From Power to Rights: Interpreting Inscribing “To Respect and Protect Human Rights” in the Amended Criminal Procedure Law

Human rights are one of the widely acknowledged value systems in the international ,community. The core of human rights lies in the life and dignity of human beings. On the one hand, criminal procedure law is related to life and freedom, which is the concern of everybody. On the other hand, it involves direct dialogue between national power and citizens＇ fights.

The Scientific School of Philosophical and Legal Thought in Criminal Proceedings of Marian Cieslak

The aim of the article is to show that Professor Cie?lak is the founder of the scientific school of philosophical and legal thought in criminal proceedings and five thoughts belonging to this school regarding the subject of the criminal process, the identity of a deed, participants in the process, the burden of the proof, the obligation of proving, and division the grounds for detention. Professor Cie?lak was one of the most distinguished Polish lawyers and scientists, and had a great influence on shaping views on the law, primarily in theory, but also in practice. His concepts result from his theoretical and philosophical research on the law and are also timeless, remotely dependent on the legislation currently in existence.

Legal Frame for Criminal Proceedings Against Juveniles in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The paper analyzes applicability of legal frame of international standards on the protection of juvenile rights which are expressed through the concept of protection of ＂the best interests of a child and juvenile＂, in view of the question whether the Federation of Bill performs appropriate activities and to which extent, and are there controversy points that need to be resolved separately. It points out the unknowns which the practices of the courts in the Federation of Bill have not yet completely resolved, and are related to the applicability of the new rules adopted by the Law on Protection and Treatment of Children and Juveniles in Criminal Proceedings of the Federation of Bill. Also, it presents a set of legal rules that regulate criminal proceedings against juveniles within the Federation of Bill, with a special emphasis on the basic characteristics of this process. Finally, possible solutions to the mentioned ambiguities and dilemmas are proposed in accordance with the principle of legal certainty as essential to addressees of the relevant legal norms

Study on the Escape of the Portuguese Leasing in Macao from Chinese Criminal Law and the Governance by the Government of the Qing Dynasty

After the Portuguese leased in Macao in the mid-period of Ming Dynasty, the Portuguese officials here were asked to comply with the law of China more than once. To the Qing dynasty, the Portuguese still stubbornly refused to obey the law of China and often escaped from Chinese criminal law using briberies. In the case about Huiqian CHEN and the processing in the end of 1743, the fact that the Portuguese often escaped from the law of China was changed, and the principle of the Chinese judicial officials about processing the murders about Chinese killed by foreigners was explicitly defined. In this principle, Chinese significant compromises and concessions to the Portuguese were also included, but the criminal jurisdiction was ultimately controlled by the Government of the Qing Dynasty. Thus, the foreign-related criminal procedures conforming to foreign conditions were revised by the government of the Qing Dynasty according to the actual circumstances of Macao. However, the foreign-related criminal procedures revised by the government of the Qing Dynasty were not honestly observed by the Portuguese. After several major cases occurred in Macao, security rules and regulations were further issued by the government of the Qing Dynasty, in which the judicial control power of the government of the Qing Dynasty in Macao was unequivocally stated.

China's Criminal Law Reform from the Perspective of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights reflects the world’s perception of human rights, and is of vital importance in the field of international human rights. The Covenant has been signed by Chinese government. Although not ratified yet, it will definitely have an impact on the reform of China’s Criminal Law. Therefore, it is necessary to further change our notion of the criminal law system by defining the boundary between public power and civil rights and developing the view of human rights protection. In terms of the specific system, it is necessary to further reduce the number of crimes punishable by the death penalty and limit the application of the death sentence, improve China’s Criminal Procedural Law to protect the fundamental rights of suspects and defendants in terms of compulsory measures, investigation means and judicial form, and add some charges like enslavement and illegal human experimentation, which are criminalized around the world, so as to be in line with the requirements of international human rights protection.

第四次《刑事诉讼法》修改的法治现代化期待

《刑事诉讼法》第四次修改已经纳入立法规划,本次修法的指导思想是吸收司法解释和解释性文件的合理规定,巩固司法改革成果,回应司法实践需要,遵循联合国刑事司法准则和国际通行的标准,反映社会发展的现实需要。此次改革不应采取“修正案”模式,而是采用法典化模式。该次修改应从体例结构到原则、制度和程序进行全面修改。在基本原则中当务之急是增加“无罪推定”和“直接言词”等原则。此次修法应当大幅度增加相关条文,至少增加至500条以上,一审程序应当增加至70条以上。修改应具有前瞻性,能保证适用30年以上。修改内容除了一审程序外,此次修法重点是辩护制度和证据制度。“特别程序”中应增设“涉案企业合规改革诉讼程序”“涉外犯罪案件诉讼程序”和“涉老案件诉讼程序”。

关于《刑事诉讼法》第四次修改的几点思考

近日,刑事诉讼法的第四次修改提上日程。学界对本次修改整体上较为积极,也有部分观点对修改存有隐忧。从整体上看,启动第四次刑事诉讼法修改有其必要性和重要的时代价值,应当抓住此次难得时机,同时,也要对实践中重打击轻保护的氛围保持高度警惕,牢牢把握人权保障和正当程序的目标和方向。刑事诉讼法第四次修改应当将刑事诉讼法典实质化作为目标,采取大修的立法模式,立足当下,着眼长远,系统规划,分步实施,迈出刑事诉讼法典实质化的关键一步。刑事诉讼法修改也要设定改革的亮点,这些亮点可以包括但不限于:重塑刑事诉讼法的篇章体例、以技术主义路径推进以审判为中心和庭审实质化、因应轻罪时代扩大附条件不起诉的适用范围、探索构建律师无效辩护制度、重塑强制措施体系、构建相对独立的涉案财物处置程序、完善证据制度等。

坚持和发展民主集中制原则推进新时代中国刑事诉讼制度现代化

全国人大已将《刑事诉讼法》的修改列入本届人大的工作规划之中。作为规范刑事诉讼程序、约束诉讼主体行为的基本法律,应该明确刑事诉讼中公权力机关之间职能分工的工作原则。民主集中制是我国《宪法》规定的国家机构组织和活动原则,同时也是我国现行刑事诉讼确立的公权力机关之间职能分工的指导原则,具体表现为公检法等机关在刑事诉讼中“分工负责、互相配合、互相制约”的工作原则。民主集中制决定了我国刑事诉讼中权力的集中本位及其分工的相对性。新时代应该发展刑事诉讼中的民主集中制原则,顺应权力本位向权利本位转变的时代潮流,以实现民主集中制原则与刑事诉讼制度的根本自洽,推进刑事诉讼现代化。

法院参与涉案企业刑事合规改革十大问题研究

涉案企业刑事合规改革中法院参与乃必然趋势,各地在理论准备不足、制度缺位的情况下进行改革探索,其困难和困惑自不待言,法官在参与该项工作时的消极态度即是明证。法院如何参与涉案企业合规改革确实是一个值得探讨的问题。这其中的重点问题包括法院参与的理论基础、职能作用的发挥、法院开展合规审查考察期的确定、法院进行合规审查适用的案件范围和适用的诉讼阶段、从宽幅度的把握、考察报告的证据属性、法院如何为申请进行合规审查的被拒企业及其责任人提供救济、刑事合规在法院审判中的刑法适用、容错机制的建立、最高人民法院发布指导性案例的必要性等十个方面。对这些问题进行探索,可以为法院参与涉案企业合规改革提供理论支持和参考。

《刑事诉讼法》再修改中辩护制度的完善

刑事辩护制度发达与否是衡量一个国家民主法治与人权保障程度的重要标志。经过40多年的发展,中国刑事辩护制度取得了很大的成就,但从司法实践以及同其他法治国家的比较来看,中国刑事辩护制度还存在进一步完善的空间。具体而言,应当在《刑事诉讼法》再修改中将指定法律援助辩护的范围扩大至可能判处3年以上有期徒刑的案件;依法保障辩护律师三项基本诉讼权利的行使、确立讯问犯罪嫌疑人律师在场制度、在职务犯罪案件的调查留置期间允许律师介入,以更好地实现惩罚犯罪与保障人权的平衡。

《刑事诉讼法》第四次修改与中国特色未成年人司法的发展完善

《刑事诉讼法》对于我国未成年人司法的发展起到了重要的支撑与引领作用,中国特色未成年人司法具有与刑事诉讼紧密捆绑的阶段性特征。更好地调整《刑事诉讼法》与未成年人司法之间的互动关系,以推动我国未成年人司法的进一步发展完善,应当作为《刑事诉讼法》第四次修改中涉未成年人部分修改的基本立场,并处理好两个整体性问题。一是通过吸收未成年人专门法律的普适性内容、根据其他涉未法律的新规定新增或调整专章规定、为其他法律中新增的涉未制度提供程序支撑和吸收已有司法解释或规范性文件的合理内容,来有效对接其他涉未法律规范。二是通过减少刑事诉讼整体框架和普通程序对涉未特别程序的限制,明确与成年人案件规定的梯级递进关系,来处理好与普通程序的关系。本次修改还应当整体增补与未成年被害人相关的规定,对转处制度和犯罪记录封存制度进行体系化与优化,并明确低龄严重暴力犯罪核准追诉程序的基本设置。

论数字时代的《刑事诉讼法》修改

《中华人民共和国刑事诉讼法》修改已被列入全国人大常委会立法规划,在本次修改中应当回应数字时代的需求,关注在刑事诉讼中运用新型数字技术所带来的新问题。在基础理念层面,应当协调数字时代刑事诉讼中技术运用和人权保障的关系,兼顾法律修改的前瞻性与稳妥性,平衡数据安全与个人信息保护之间的冲突。在基本原则层面,应当确立合法原则,要求目的、程序与手段的合法性;通过确认比例原则,协调目的、手段与后果之间的关系;依据区分处理原则对对象、场景、行为方式与监管方式加以区分处理。在制度规范层面,应强化对数字侦查取证的控制,推动数字检察法律监督工作,规范智慧审判,确保公安机关、检察机关、审判机关的数字化改革符合刑事诉讼的基本原理。从这三个层面出发修改《中华人民共和国刑事诉讼法》,能使刑事诉讼的数字化转型在法治轨道内得以实现。

仿真模拟及“公案剧本穿越”在刑事诉讼法教学中的应用

剧本杀是当下年轻人较为流行的娱乐方式,将中华优秀传统法律文化与学生“剧本穿越”进行耦合作为刑事诉讼法教学的新范式,有助于增强学生参与的积极性,促进学习的主动性。基于教与学步调一致的目标,可考虑建立动态教学检验与评价机制、加强校校教学联动、实现启发式学习的课后保障等,推动仿真模拟及“公案剧本穿越”教学模式的深度发展。

关于建立普遍意义的附条件程序出罪制度的思考

程序出罪的规模化现象,使我国不附条件不起诉欠缺正当性或正当性不足的特征突显。这必然影响规模化程序出罪的持久性、稳定性,也会形成轻微犯罪治理质效逐渐劣化的趋势。司法规范实际确定了具有相当普遍意义的附条件程序出罪规则,及时弥补了立法的缺陷,修正了规模化程序出罪正当性不足的偏差,也为建立普遍意义的附条件程序出罪制度积累了经验。普遍意义的附条件程序出罪制度,应由附条件不启动刑事追诉程序和附条件终止刑事追诉程序构成,具体包含附条件不予立案、附条件撤销案件、附条件不起诉几种具体的程序出罪方式。以不同等级的附条件不起诉取代酌定不起诉、情节显著轻微不起诉,是建立普遍意义附条件不起诉的关键。

电子数据收集应当被纳入本次《刑事诉讼法》修改

《刑事诉讼法》修改引起了社会广泛关注,但是电子数据收集纳入本次《刑事诉讼法》修改尚未获得足够重视,这与电子数据收集在刑事诉讼中日益重要的客观趋势不相符合。将电子数据收集纳入《刑事诉讼法》的必要性基于以下三个事实:一是电子数据收集在侦查实践中越来越被依赖;二是将电子数据收集手段纳入《刑事诉讼法》进行规制已在全球范围内形成共识;三是我国当前相关立法存在严重不足。当前理论和实践的阶段性成果为将电子数据收集纳入《刑事诉讼法》奠定了可行性基础。理论界对电子数据证据属性、电子数据取证程序构建及个人信息保护等议题已做出大量贡献,为电子数据收集的法治化提供了坚实的理论支持。同时,我国在电子数据收集立法上已积累了丰富经验,相关的技术标准和真实性审查规则已日趋完善。因此,在《刑事诉讼法》修改中纳入电子数据收集的内容,是顺应信息化发展趋势的必然选择,对于平衡追诉犯罪和保护公民权利之间的关系,促进刑事诉讼的公正和效率,具有重大的理论和实践意义。

刑事诉讼领域个人信息权的限制与规范

个人信息保护兹事体大,重视对个人信息权的保护已成共识,即便在刑事诉讼领域亦不例外。但刑事诉讼中个人信息权的行使可能与犯罪控制的利益和公众知情权、信息开放利益、科学和艺术研究利益等发生冲突,因此有必要遵循目的限制、必要性、区分对待等原则对刑事诉讼领域的个人信息权予以适当限制。在此基础上,可以提出刑事诉讼中个人信息权行使的四方面考量因素,并由此确立个人信息权行使的方式及其救济途径,以实现个人信息权在刑事诉讼领域的良性发展。

刑事诉讼司法解释方法论构建要素论析

刑事诉讼司法解释方法论是在刑事诉讼司法解释制定过程中,为确保司法解释的规范性与稳定性而构建的一种系统的方法理论,它关系到刑事诉讼法能否得到遵守。刑事诉讼司法解释方法论的构建要素可以为司法解释的制定和实施提供指导和规范。这些要素中,司法解释理念决定司法解释的基本方向和思维方式;司法解释目标是司法解释活动的目的和追求的结果;司法解释原则是在司法解释理念的指导下具体操作的准则;司法解释程序是实现司法解释目标的具体操作过程;法律论证是司法解释程序中确保司法解释严密性和科学性的重要环节。这五大构建要素提高了司法解释的质量和水平,增强了刑事诉讼法的可预测性和可操作性。

罪错未成年人保护处分程序的法治化

《刑法》《未成年人保护法》与《预防未成年人犯罪法》共同构建了对罪错未成年人的教育矫治制度,但由于缺少程序法的规制,当前的教育矫治制度并未得到有效的落实,对罪错未成年人的前端处置不力。当前在程序法中几乎没有与保护处分相关的内容,对于保护处分实施对象、实施主体和实施程序都缺乏配套规定,专门学校在实践中异化、矫治教育的社会效果不明显,不利于实现保护处分机制的效果、无法弥补一元化形事司法格局的罪错未成年人处置方向。在《刑事诉讼法》再修改的契机之下,应当将保护处分纳入罪错未成年人处置的司法体系中,在“未成年人刑事案件诉讼程序”一章中加入保护处分的相应制度,与现有的附条件不起诉制度衔接,实现预防未成年人犯罪与罪错治理的有效衔接。

刑事合规的学理基础与实践展开——以德国法为中心

过去十多年,由于德国一些著名公司的商业腐败丑闻事件,刑事合规成为理论和实践上的重要课题。德国通行的观点认为刑事合规是为了避免企业职员基于实施与企业相关的行为而负担刑事责任所必须采取的全部必要且被允许的措施。在实体法上,德国尚不承认法人犯罪,因此德国刑事合规主要关注的是公司内部人员的责任与公司外部人员的责任。在理论和实践中,对于这两类人员的归责基础均有诸多探讨。在程序方面,德国刑事合规主要探讨公司内部规定、内部调查、吹哨人制度与合规之间的关系。德国刑事合规并不止于宏观层面的教义学探讨,而是在很多具体领域中有广泛的应用,尤其是在环境刑法、刑事产品责任、腐败犯罪、网络刑法和数据保护刑法等领域。德国刑事合规的三个鲜明特色是教义学色彩浓厚、一体化的研究方法和应用领域的广泛性。虽然德国与我国的法律语境有所不同,但德国刑事合规的有益经验值得我国立法、司法和理论重视。