Guarantees of the rights of a criminally prosecuted person: from the normative ideal to a dynamic system

Introduction. The constitutional axiom of the highest value of human rights conflicts with the dominance of the public interest in criminal prosecution, which requires special legal mechanisms, the absence of which leads to the relativisation of individual rights.

Purpose. The author aims to comprehensively analyze the system of guarantees of the rights and legitimate interests of a criminally prosecuted person, identify the systemic gap between normative consolidation and law enforcement practice, develop a theoretically grounded classification of guarantees and proposals for their improvement.

Methods. The methodological basis of the research includes general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, systems approach) and specific scientific methods: formal legal, comparative legal, logical, legal modeling, as well as an empirical method (survey of law enforcers).

Results. The guarantees of the rights of a criminally prosecuted person are dynamic and institutional-activity-based, consisting of three core elements: consistent norms, good faith conduct of officials, and active defense counsel. A persistent polarization in the perception of guarantees is revealed between lawyers (93% associate them with the exclusion of evidence) and operatives (87% insist on departmental approval of operational-search measures). A three-level classification is substantiated: condition-guarantees, status-instrumental guarantees, and special guarantees of proportionality and quality of law. It is proposed to legalize the category of “proper quality of law” in Federal Law No. 5-FZ of June 14, 1994 as a guarantee standard.

Conclusions. The effectiveness of guarantees is determined by the synchronous functioning of all three elements; the most vulnerable stage is the pre-procedural “non-status zone”. The reality of constitutional guarantees directly depends on overcoming the accusatory bias and eliminating the “non-status zones” in operational investigative activities.

1. Chupilkin YuB. Criminally prosecuted person: concept, types, legal status. North Caucasus Legal Bulletin. 2025;(4):112-127. (In Russ.) - EDN: WCITLW.

2. Orlov Yu.K. Problems of the theory of evidence in criminal procedure. Moscow: Yurist; 2009. 174, [1] p. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-7975-0964-6. EDN: QQWRXF.

3. Tsvetkov Yu.A. Human rights have gone out of fashion. How will this affect criminal procedure? Criminal Procedure. 2023;(3):8–16. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.18572/2072-4411-2023-3-8-16.

4. Foinitsky I.Ya. Course of criminal procedure: in 2 vols. Vol. 1. 3rd ed. Smirnov A.V., editor. St. Petersburg: Alpha; 1996. 552 p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-87062-032-5.

5. Strogovich M.S. Selected works: in 3 vols. Vol. 2: Guarantees of individual rights in criminal proceedings. Savitsky V.M., editor. Moscow: Nauka; 1992. 277, [1] p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-02-013216-0.

6. Larin A.M. Presumption of innocence. Moscow: Nauka; 1982. 152 p. (In Russ.).

7. Rostovshchikov I.V. Realization of individual rights and the activities of internal affairs bodies: a study guide for universities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia. Volgograd: Volgograd Law Institute; 1996. 97, [2] p. (In Russ.).

8. Lyakhov Yu.A. Expansion of private elements in criminal proceedings in Russia as a factor of its humanization. North Caucasus Legal Bulletin. 2013;(3):46–51. (In Russ.). EDN: RSUGOJ.

9. Kartashov V.N. Legal status of the individual: concept, logical structure, types. Actual problems of the theory and history of the legal system of society. 2014;13(13):3–19. (In Russ.). EDN: YLFOPP.

10. Avakyan S.A. Globalization, common constitutional values, and national regulation. National Interests: Priorities and Security. 2001;(4):44–47. (In Russ.).

11. Shadrin V.S. Ensuring individual rights in the investigation of crimes. Moscow: Yurlitinform; 2000. 228, [2] p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-93295-015-3. EDN: RHTJJK.

12. Gladysheva O.V. Theoretical model of mechanisms for ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of a person and a citizen in criminal proceedings [dissertation]. Moscow; 2013. 478 p. (In Russ.).

13. Alekseev N.S., Dayev V.G., Kokorev L.D. An essay on the development of the science of Soviet criminal procedure. Voronezh: Voronezh University Publishing House; 1980. 251 p. (In Russ.).

14. Alekseev V.B., Alekseeva L.B., Bozhiev V.P., et al. The course of the Soviet criminal process. General Part. Boykov A.D., Karpets I.I., editors. Moscow: Yuridicheskaya Literatura; 1989. 638, [1] p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-7260-0097-8.

15. Rakhunov R.D. Participants in criminal procedural activities under Soviet law. Moscow: Gosyurizdat; 1961. 277 p. (In Russ.).

16. Kutsova E.F. Guarantees of individual rights in the Soviet criminal process. Moscow: Moscow University Publishing House; 1972. 114 p. (In Russ.).

17. Yurchenko V.E. Guarantees of the victim's rights in court proceedings. Tomsk: Tomsk University Press; 1977. 139 p. (In Russ.).

18. Stremovsky V.A. Participants in the preliminary investigation in Soviet criminal proceedings. Rostov-on-Don: Rostov University Press; 1966. 260 p. (In Russ.).

19. Samoshchenko I.S. The concept of an offense under Soviet legislation. Moscow: Yuridicheskaya Literatura; 1963. 286 p. (In Russ.).

20. Dobrovolskaya T.N. Guarantees of citizens' rights in criminal proceedings. Soviet State and Law. 1980;(2):128–135. (In Russ.).

21. Sementsov V.A., Gladysheva O.V., Lukozhev Kh.M. Guarantees of the rights of participants in criminal proceedings: problems and possible ways to solve them. Sementsov V.A., editor. Moscow: Yurlitinform; 2013. 192 p. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-4396-0306-0. EDN: TRXVDB.

22. Volodina L.M. The mechanism for protecting individual rights in criminal proceedings. Tyumen: Tyumen State University Publishing House; 1999. 171 p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-88081-157-3.

23. Derishev Yu.V., Ovchinnikov Yu.G. Theoretical foundations of criminal procedure guarantees: a monograph. Omsk: OmYuI; 2012. 180 p. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-9903967-1-2. EDN: VPBHVB.

24. Chupilkin Yu.B. Flaws of Russian justice in the 21st century. History of State and Law. 2015;(4): 32–35. (In Russ.). EDN: TWXPDZ.

25. Alekseev N.S., Bastrykin A.I., Daev V.G., et al. Soviet criminal procedure: textbook for universities for specialties "Jurisprudence". Alekseev N.S., Lukashevich V.Z., editors. Leningrad: LSU Publishing House; 1989. 469, [1] p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-288-00452-4.

26. Bobrov V.K., et al. Criminal procedure: textbook. Bozhyev V.P., editor. 2nd ed., rev. and suppl. Moscow: Higher Education; 2008. 524 p. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-9692-0187-3.

27. Kaminskaya V.I. What is the significance of procedural guarantees in criminal proceedings. Soviet State and Law. 1950;(5):48–56. (In Russ.).

28. Krotova L.A. Procedural guarantees for achieving the objectives of criminal proceedings [dissertation]. Kazan; 1982. 204 p. (In Russ.).

29. Kapinus N.I. Procedural guarantees of individual rights in the application of preventive measures in criminal proceedings: a monograph. Moscow: Bukvoed; 2007. 409, [1] p. (In Russ.). ISBN 978-5-903396-07-3. EDN: QSAWQH.

30. Goncharenko V.D. The human right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment: theoretical and legal aspects [dissertation]. Volgograd; 1999. 201 p. (In Russ.).

31. Boikov A.D. Legality and expediency in criminal proceedings. In: Legality in the Russian Federation. Moscow: Spark; 1998. p. 188–201. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-88906-122-6.

32. Kokorev L.D., Lukashevich V.Z. Procedural guarantees of the rights and legitimate interests of the individual in criminal proceedings. Bulletin of Leningrad University. 1977;(11):109–116. (In Russ.).

33. Petrukhin I.L. Personal inviolability and coercion in criminal proceedings. Moscow: Nauka; 1989. 256 p. (In Russ.). ISBN 5-02-012893-7

34. Melnikov V.Yu. Guarantees of individual rights in criminal proceedings. Rossiyskiy Sudya. 2008;(3):36–39. (In Russ.). EDN: JWPNRB.