Trial by jury in Russia

from the cornerstone of the judicial reform to the constitutional history artifact

Abstract

Purpose: The article explores the process of gradual legislative encroachment on the constitutional right to be tried by jury in Russia that had started in 2008 when offenders accused of committing terrorist crimes were denied the right to opt for the jury. The objective is to show how the initial use of the security argument made possible further limitations of this right. Design/Methods/Approach: The research is based upon qualitative analysis of documents (drafts of legal bills, explanatory notes to the drafts, minutes of the Parliamentary hearings), decisions of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and judges’ dissenting opinions, statements of public officials, media reports. Findings: Jury trial that was once a cornerstone of the major judicial reform of the 1990-ies risks becoming a constitutional history artifact. The process of its curtailment came as a result of the inability of this institute to get adjusted to the realities of the Russian criminal process as well as of the need of the state to meet the challenges of the risk society. It is argued that the use of security argument allowed for the initial bill aimed at limiting this right for terrorists to be adopted swiftly and without much debate. It also opened the window of opportunity for further limitation of this right that came under vague agenda of victims’ protection and case review system reform. The author demonstrates that decisions of the Constitutional Court of Russia have played a significant role in promoting limitations of jury trials. Practical Implications: The approach used in the article can be applied to researching other cases of limiting citizens’ rights in the name of security. Originality/Value: The article represents an attempt to provide empirical evidence of the ‘security paradoxes’ described in the security literature.

Keywords

trial by jury;comparative criminal justice;Russian criminal justice;security;human rights;fair trial;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2015
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UM FVV - Faculty of Criminal Justice
UDC:	343.1(470+571)
COBISS:	2959082
ISSN:	1580-0253
Parent publication:	Varstvoslovje
Views:	493
Downloads:	26
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary title:	Sojenje pred poroto v Rusiji
Secondary abstract:	Namen prispevka: Članek obravnava postopek postopne zakonodajne omejitve ustavne pravice do sojenja pred poroto v Rusiji, ki je stopila v veljavo leta 2008. Tega leta je bila obtoženim za teroristična dejanja odvzeta možnost odločitve za sojenje pred poroto. Namen prispevka je predstaviti, kako je prvotni argument varnosti pozneje omogočil dodatne omejitve te pravice. Metode: Raziskava temelji na kvalitativni analizi virov (predlogov zakonov, obrazložitev predlogov, zapisnikov parlamentarnih zasedanj), odločb Ustavnega sodišča Ruske federacije in ločenih mnenj sodnikov, izjav javnih uradnikov ter novinarskih prispevkov. Ugotovitve: Sojenje pred poroto, ki je bilo osnova temeljite sodne prenove v devetdesetih, je v nevarnosti, da postane relikt ustavne zgodovine. Postopek njegove omejitve je rezultat njegove nesposobnosti prilagoditi se realnosti ruskega kazenskega postopka kot tudi potrebe države, da se prilagodi zahtevam družbe tveganja. Zatrjujemo, da je uporaba argumenta varnosti omogočila, da je bil prvoten zakon, ki je omejil pravice teroristov, sprejet hitro in brez argumentacije. S tem je tudi odprl možnosti za nadaljnje omejitve te pravice, ki so jih utemeljevali na nedoločenem argumentu zaščite žrtev in sistemske reforme obravnave primerov. Avtorica pokaže, da so odločitve Ustavnega sodišča Ruske federacije odigrale pomembno vlogo pri propagandi omejitev sojenja pred poroto. Praktična uporabnost: Pristop, ki je bil uporabljen v članku, je mogoče uporabiti tudi v raziskavah drugih primerov omejevanja državljanskih pravic v imenu varnosti. Izvirnost/pomembnost prispevka: Članek predstavlja poskus zagotoviti empirične dokaze varnostnega paradoksa, obravnavanega v varstvoslovni literaturi.
Secondary keywords:	kazensko pravo;kazenskopravni sistemi;kazensko procesno pravo;porota;sojenje pred poroto;pošteno sojenje;človekove pravice;Rusija;
Type (COBISS):	Scientific work
Pages:	str. 62-81
Volume:	ǂLetn. ǂ17
Issue:	ǂšt. ǂ1
Chronology:	2015
ID:	11544022