CYIL vol. 9 (2018)

CYIL 9 ȍ2018Ȏ THE PRINCIPLE OF THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE IN THE EUROPEAN… THE PRINCIPLE OF THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE IN THE EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT Jiří Mulák Abstract: This contribution 1 deals with one of the basic principles of criminal proceedings, which is the principle of the presumption of innocence. The article deals with the history, the notion and the one-dimensional components of this principle. Attention is also paid to the European and in the international context. The subject of this article is to approximate the principle of the presumption of innocence in European and international contexts. This article also examines Czech legislation and is confronted with international standards. The author concludes that it is necessary to regulate this hindrance also in the future recodification of the Criminal Procedure Code and that Czech legislation fully complies with international standards. Resumé: Tento příspěvek se zabývá jednou ze základních zásad trestního řízení, kterou je zásada (princip) presumpce neviny. Nejprve je pojednáno o historii, pojmu a o složkách této zásady. Náležitá pozornost je věnována evropským a mezinárodním kontextům této zásady. Současně je představena právní úprava v České republice a ta je konfrontována s evropský- mi a mezinárodními standardy. Článek dospívá k závěru, že je v rámci připravované reko- difikace nezbytné tuto zásadu náležitě promítnout, jak do systému základních zásad, tak především do textu trestního řádu. Současná právní úprava plně odpovídá mezinárodním standardům, které navíc v mnoha ohledech převyšuje. Key Words: the presumption of innocence, the basic principles of criminal proceedings, the contradictory process. About the Author: JUDr. Jiří Mulák, Ph.D. is a senior lecturer at the Department of Criminal at the Faculty of Law of Charles University in Prague. He also works as assistant judge at the High Court in Prague. Introduction The presumption of innocence principle is obviously a corner stone of democratic criminal proceedings, and more generally said, of the entire concept of the right to a fair trial. 2 This principle is based on the idea of supremacy of an individual and his or her fundamental rights and freedoms, especially on the principles of protection of human dignity and equality before the law and presumption of honest persons ( presumptio boni viri ), 3 when every person is honest unless the contrary is proved. In the most general meaning it expresses a requirement of perceiving a person who is suspected, for a well-founded reason, of committing a crime as an innocent person, until the time when his or her guilt is evidenced in the way prescribed 1 The contribution is published within the framework of the programme of Charles University known as PROGRES Q02 “ Publicizace práva v evropském a mezinárodním srovnání ” – coordinator prof. JUDr. PhDr. Michal Tomášek, DrSc. 2 For this reason the analysis quite logically includes provisions dealing with the right to a fair trial (Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)) or with the rights to judicial and other legal protection 1.

(Art. 36 et seq. of the Charter of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms). 3 In a similar way: quilibet praesumitur bonus – Bonitätsvermutung.

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