The principle of reciprocity in the provision of legal assistance in criminal matters between countries

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The Academy of Justice of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan

The principle of reciprocity in the provision of legal assistance in criminal matters between countries

Asgarova Matanat Pasha Associate Professor, Ph.D.in Jurisprudence

Анотація

Одне з центральних місць у сучасному праві займає проблема важливості визначення основних ознак міжнародного співробітництва у сфері кримінального права, а також визначення законодавчої бази та особливостей процесуальних дій щодо встановленого принципу взаємності. Тому висвітлення всіх аспектів цього правового явища має сприяти вдосконаленню таких відносин і галузі міжнародного кримінального права, дослідженню прогалин у цій сфері, що є предметом даної статті.

Стаття присвячена висвітленню такої актуальної теми, як принцип взаємності в рамках надання правової допомоги по кримінальним справам між країнами. Метою статті є узагальнення розглянутих у наукових дослідженнях теоретичних та практичних аспектів тлумачення такого принципу взаємності, встановлення його основних ознак. Проаналізоване чинне законодавство з даного питання. Виявлено, що зазначений принцип взаємності між державами виражається безпосередньо через міжнародне співробітництво в сфері кримінального права. Ознаками такого принципу вважаються узгодження законодавства, політики, а також інформаційна, науково-дослідницька та організаційно-управлінська діяльність державних органів країн. А кінцевою метою повинно бути вдосконалення міжнародно-правових норм, та досягнення певного результату, який направлений на боротьбу зі злочинністю. Однак на ряду із цим існує низка проблем. Зокрема це стосується прогалин в сфері заочного розгляду кримінальних справ між країнами. Слід розуміти, що в майбутньому варто розглядати дане питання з боку вдосконалення механізму взаємної діяльності державних органів, ефективного використання форм міжнародного співробітництва а також чіткого правового регулювання та пошуку нових напрямів співпраці, що повинно стати запорукою результативного та успішного вирішення багатьох проблем та досягнення важливої мети - боротьби зі злочинністю. Зроблено висновки про те, що принцип взаємності виражається у діяльності певних уповноважених органів, яка полягає в використанні необхідних заходів, метою якої є надання допомоги в міжнародній сфері, що здійснюється шляхом певних процесуальних дій, зокрема вручення документів, видачі осіб, що вчинили кримінальне правопорушення.

Ключові слова: Принцип взаємності, міжнародне співробітництво, двосторонні договори, кримінальне провадження, ратифікація, державні органи.

Annotation

The article is devoted to such a topical issue as the principle of reciprocity in providing legal assistance in criminal matters between countries. The article aims to generalize the theoretical and practical aspects of the interpretation of such a principle of reciprocity considered in scientific research to establish its main features. The current legislation on this issue is analyzed. It was found that this principle of reciprocity between states is expressed directly through international cooperation, which means the activities of certain authorized bodies, which is to use the necessary measures aimed at assisting in the international sphere through certain procedural actions, including service of documents, extradition who committed a criminal offence. The Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine establishes this interpretation. It should be understood that in the future, this issue should be considered in terms of improving the mechanism of interaction between government agencies, effective use of international cooperation and clear legal regulation, and finding new areas of cooperation, which should be the effective and successful solutions of many problems fight against crime. It is concluded that the principle of reciprocity is expressed in the activities of certain authorized bodies, which is to use the necessary measures aimed at providing assistance in the international sphere through certain procedural actions, including service of documents, extradition of persons who have committed a criminal offence. Signs of such a principle are considered to be the coordination of legislation, policy, as well as information, research and organizational and managerial activities of government agencies. And the ultimate goal should be to improve international law and achieve a certain result aimed at combating crime.

Keywords: Principle of reciprocity, international cooperation, bilateral agreements, criminal proceedings, ratification, public authorities.

Introduction

One of the central places in modern law is the problem of the importance of determining the main features of international cooperation in the field of criminal law, as well as determining the legislative framework and features of the procedural actions regarding the established principle of reciprocity. Therefore, the coverage of all aspects of this legal phenomenon should contribute to the improvement of such relations and the field of international criminal law, the study of gaps in this area, which is the subject of this article.

Analysis of recent research and publications. Efforts of modern jurists are aimed at considering the problems of defining the concept of the principle of reciprocity in international law. Among these are works of scientists Perepolkin S.M., Parshutin Ye.H., Veremiienko S.V., Prorochenko V.V, V.V. Zuiev, and others. international cooperation criminal law

Purpose of the article is to summarise the features of the principle of reciprocity in the provision of legal assistance in criminal matters between countries that have been considered in academic studies.

Results

To date, in the global community, the legal mechanism for the implementation of the rule of law of modern countries of the world should be considered as an essential criterion for ensuring the safe existence and development of mankind. To solve and implement such a mechanism for the prevention of criminal offenses an important role is played by the legislative branches of power of countries.

We see the importance of their activity especially through the adoption and existence of a legal act interpreting criminal liability.

A law on criminal liability exists in every developed state of the world. In modern countries, such documents differ in the history of adoption, title, peculiarities of changes or amendments. But these normative legal acts have one goal in common - to prevent the commission of criminal offenses and crimes in the state.

The UN Charter, the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation of States in Europe, and the Declaration on Principles of International Law establish that all States should develop and maintain cooperation among themselves in all areas by the purposes and principles of international legal instruments and the UN Charter [8].

It should be noted that to achieve such an important goal asjustice in criminal cases, there is a special type of cooperation between countries, which can be included both at the stage of the criminal case itself and at the stage of investigation or after the entry into force of a court verdict. This type of cooperation between States has many peculiarities.

Note that international cooperation should be understood as the activity of certain authorized bodies, which consists in the use of necessary measures, the purpose of which is to assist in the international sphere, carried out through certain procedural actions, in particular, the delivery of documents, extradition of persons who have committed a criminal offense. This interpretation is established by the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine [6].

It is believed that international cooperation in the field of criminal law, the purpose of which is the fight against crime, should be a complex system of relations, including and harmonization of legislation, policy, as well as information, research, and organizational and managerial activities of public authorities of countries. An important goal of such cooperation is the improvement of international legal norms, as well as the achievement of a certain result aimed at combating crime [1, p. 230].

In addition, the scientist Malanchuk believes that international cooperation should be understood as a special form of cooperation in countering criminal activity and expressed in the form of criminal procedural actions [7, p. 78].

It would be appropriate to note that exactly these aspects are signs of the above principle of reciprocity.

However, it should be noted that there are various forms of the above-mentioned cooperation between States. For example, it can be legal assistance in criminal cases, expressed precisely in the performance of certain procedural actions, as during such stages of the process as investigation or trial, there may be a need for the collection of evidence, carried out through questioning of the victim, the accused, witness, expert, etc., as well as in the judicial inspection, examination, delivery or forwarding of documents, and so on.

An example of such activities between law enforcement agencies of states can be the transfer of already convicted persons to serve a type of punishment or the extradition of an offender to bring him to criminal responsibility. It can also be search or confiscation of proceeds, arrests, and so on.

It should be noted that in Ukraine for this type of cooperation between states certain bilateral and multilateral international treaties ratified by the legislative body of Ukraine have been adopted [9].

In addition, in our state, several normative-legal acts establish the procedure for the conclusion of such agreements. In particular, it is the Law of Ukraine “On International Treaties of Ukraine”.

So, the mentioned international activity in the criminal sphere should be carried out with the help of relevant principles of international law, which is expressed, first of all, in the ideas, provisions that establish the content of the branch of law. First of all, these are the following principles of equality and cooperation between States, respect for State sovereignty, good faith fulfillment of legal obligations between States and others. Along with this, there are also special principles, in particular, the principle of voluntariness, legality, respect for the rights and interests of third parties, and the principle of reciprocity [10, p. 10].

Exploring the issues of the principle of reciprocity in the provision of legal aid in criminal matters between states, we should pay attention to some features of this issue in this area.

Thus, we note that in Ukraine there are about sixty-seven bilateral international treaties in the field of international legal cooperation, ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine [2].

Many such agreements address the issue of mutual actions between states in the field of criminal law, civil law, etc.

For example, taking into account the Agreement on Legal Assistance and Cooperation between the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine and the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, a certain list of mutual legal assistance between countries should be noted, in particular, it concerns environmental protection, investigation of crimes, execution of instructions in civil and criminal cases, extradition of persons who have committed a crime and other important issues [16].

By the way, the criminal legislation of this country establishes that foreign nationals and stateless persons who have committed a crime outside the Republic of Azerbaijan may be held criminally liable under such Code in cases where the crime is directed against the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the interests of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as in cases stipulated by an international agreement of the Republic of Azerbaijan if they were convicted by a foreign state [17, p. 12].

In addition, the Constitution stipulates that the human and civil rights and freedoms listed in this Constitution shall be applied by international treaties, to which the Republic of Azerbaijan guarantees the implementation of such international agreements and the observance of the principle of reciprocity between countries [5, p. 12].

Such norms are defined in many foreign criminal legal acts and interpret, first of all, about such an important principle of reciprocity.

Whether to take into account the treaty between Ukraine and the People's Republic of China (which was ratified back in 1993), in particular, part 1 of article 23, which states that the parties, i.e., the countries are obliged to carry out instructions in criminal cases on the interrogation of victims, witnesses, the accused, experts, etc.

It is the principle of mutual work between the states that are clearly stated in this document. In such work, the organs of the countries must cooperate as a complex mechanism, which must work in complexity and with clear consistency. It is here that the principle of reciprocity is determinative and fundamental. The main goal of such work should be to respect the rule of law in both countries. This principle is fundamental to all international agreements.

We can also study another document - the Agreement between the Governments of Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on mutual assistance in combating drug trafficking.

It also stipulates that the parties shall provide mutual assistance for investigation and related proceedings in the fight against drug trafficking. Requests for assistance in such criminal cases must be made through the countries' central authorities [15].

In addition, in the case of a request for mutual activities between States in the field of criminal law, it is mandatory to refer to an international treaty of Ukraine, which can be expressed in documents such as a request, a petition, or an instruction. But this does not apply to the countries acting based on the principle of reciprocity [11].

As for international agreements, it is considered that the Minsk Convention through its interpretation should be considered as an example of an international agreement on legal assistance because it quite clearly filled all the gaps of domestic criminal legislation in this area, it reduces the occurrence of legal collisions and facilitates the measures to implement such relations. 13, p.12].

However, it should be noted that M. I. Smirnov believes that such a principle has only an ideological nature due to the lack of a mechanism that is legally required to ensure such activity.

In our view, it would be appropriate to note that such principle of reciprocity in the provision of legal assistance in criminal cases between countries reveals its essence in the following activities, namely:

Conclusion of bilateral agreements (treaties) in which States regulate the provision of legal assistance in criminal proceedings;

Direct cooperation between the states;

Implementation of cooperation in universal organizations of the international level (such as Interpol, UN, etc.) [14, p. 430].

In addition to the consideration of mutual relations between states, we should also emphasize the existence of certain shortcomings in this matter. There are so many problems with the topic of criminal proceedings in absentia between states. But despite the fundamental principle of reciprocity, there is a question about the existing contradictions in the case.

Thus, the scientist V.V. Zuiev believes that proceedings held in absentia should be considered as alternative extradition. But on the condition that the state has exhausted all possibilities of bringing a person who is hiding abroad [18].

At present, the current CPC of Ukraine has norms governing the procedure for such special proceedings, called in absentia, when the proceedings are conducted without the participation of the accused. However, it must be consistent with all the basics of criminal proceedings in general. It is believed that the domestic legislator has a negative attitude to such trials, because proceedings in absentia may entail a violation of a person's right to a fair trial [4].

For example, we can cite a case where there was evidence that the wanted criminal did not know about the charges against him, as well as about the trial held over him in absentia. Also, the court- appointed counsel had exhausted the right of appeal for such a person over time. Furthermore, the law of the country where the trial took place did not provide for a right to a new trial. Thus, the extradition request was denied [12, p.5].

Conclusions

Having studied the legal framework of Ukraine, as well as theoretical material in the field of mutual assistance between state criminal authorities, the following conclusions can be made, namely, that the principle of reciprocity is expressed in the activities of certain authorized bodies, which consists in the use of necessary measures, whose purpose is to assist in the international sphere, carried out through certain procedural actions, in particular the delivery of documents, extradition of perpetrators of a criminal offense.

The signs of this principle are considered to be the harmonization of legislation, policies, as well as information, research and organizational and managerial activities of the state bodies of the countries. And the ultimate goal should be the improvement of international legal norms and the achievement of a certain result aimed at combating crime.

The principle of reciprocity is decisive and fundamental. The main goal of such work must be the observance of the rule of law in both countries. This principle is fundamental to all international agreements. At the same time, the existence of gaps in the field of proceedings in absentia should also be noted.

Promising directions for further research. It should be understood that in the future this issue should be considered from the perspective of improving the mechanism of mutual activity of state bodies, the effective use of forms of international cooperation, as well as clear legal regulation and the search for new areas of cooperation, which should be the key to the effective and successful solution of many problems and achieve the important goal of combating crime.

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