Review

The current criminal procedural law contains a number of legal guarantees which ensure proper realization of rights, liberties and legitimate interests of criminal proceedings participants. Legal guarantees acquire particular significance at the stage of pre-trial investigation as during this period investigation and prosecution authorities are able to interfere and limit individual rights. Nevertheless, Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine contains a number of deficiencies which cause certain issues in theory and practice of law. In fact, it affects the system of criminal procedural guarantees, its performance and efficiency. In this regard, one of the most considered investigative actions under discussion in jurisprudence is examination, which involves detection of distinguishing marks (such as scars, tattoos etc.) and traces of crime (bruises, abrasions, wounds) on human body.

The purpose of the article is: 1) to analyze current legislation which concerns legal guarantees of examined individuals; 2) to explore the issues of examination in criminal proceedings and deficiencies in legal regulation of this investigative action; 3) to provide scientifically-based suggestions for their solution by amending Article 241 of Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

It is concluded that existing legal guarantees of individual rights are not efficient enough (or even ineffectual, illogical) and cause certain issues in theory, legislation and legal practice. The voluntary agreement of an individual for examination is reviewed, the issue of witnesses’ participation in this investigative action is analyzed. Furthermore, it is stated that Article 241 of Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine contains evaluative terms which complicate its practical implementation and encourage illegal abuse.

In Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine the conflict between Articles 56 and 241 regarding victim examination is substantiated. The way of addressing this issue is suggested by implementing additional legal guarantees of a victim by means of prohibiting examination without their agreement as well as prohibiting coercion by investigator and prosecutor against them.

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