The Impact of Cultural Diversity on International Criminal Proceedings

This article analyses the impact of cultural diversity on internationalcriminal proceedings, and what may be done to counter the unfortunateconditions — limited (or lack of) understanding, alienationand disagreement — resulting from this diversity. Eachof these conditions, if ignored, seriously undermines not merelythe efficacy of international criminal tribunals, but also theirworth from the standpoint of those who are supposed to benefitfrom them, i.e. actual participants (accused, witnesses andvictims) and affected populations. At present, internationalcriminal tribunals primarily understand the problem of culturaldiversity as one of how to cope with linguistic variations.However, a persistent focus on culture as language hides differencesin terms of other culture-specific components of equal relevanceto their work, notably socio-cultural norms and convictionsabout justice. These variations are especially difficult totackle. In this context, the article examines whether nationalcourts, which are assumed to conduct their proceedings in moreculturally homogenous settings, offer more appropriate foraof adjudication of grave crimes under international law.     

刑法国际化视野下的我国刑法理念更新

刑法理念是指人们对刑法的性质、刑法的机能、刑法的作用、犯罪、刑罚等基本问题的理性认知,它具有中介外化功能、预测功能、批判功能与导引功能。我国作为法治后发型国家,实现刑法现代化的必然途径就是刑法的国际化,这不仅包括制度层面上刑法规范的国际化,还包括精神层面上刑法理念的国际化。刑法性质观、刑法机能观、刑法作用观、刑法理性观、犯罪观与刑罚观等理念的更新,是我国刑法国际化进程中的重中之重。     

法律职业主义

律师制度起源于西方,法律职业主义是其主流指导理念。法律职业主义由三大基石构成。随着现代批判性思潮对其批判的展开,有必要重新审视国家主义、商业主义以及技术性职业主义和公共性职业主义的利弊。我国学术界和律师界所持的多是技术性职业主义的观点,政府的管制理念存在一定的模糊与混乱。以容纳多种伦理观为己任的“市民公共领域”理论,可能是建构我国律师职业定位新模式的可行路径。     

Videoconferencing in Criminal Proceedings: Legal and Empirical Issues and Directions for Research

State and federal courts are increasingly using videoconferencing to hold proceedings in criminal cases, including first appearances and arraignments. However, little systematic information is available about the extent of its use, the proceedings for which it is used, how it is implemented, and, most importantly, whether videoconferencing affects the behavior or perceptions of participants in a way that violates a defendant's fundamental rights. In this article we review the legal and empirical issues raised by the use of videoconferencing in criminal cases and describe empirical research that could and, we argue, should, inform policy decisions concerning its use.     

Fair and Expeditious Pre-trial Proceedings: The Future of International Criminal Trials

In recent times it has been argued that international criminalproceedings are too costly, too long and no longer politicallyor financially viable. This article proposes several ways inwhich pre-trial proceedings in international criminal trialsmay be fairly expedited. The author argues that more judicialinvolvement in the pre-trial phase could assist in reducingthe length and ineffectiveness of international criminal trials.     

刑事诉讼告知义务初探

告知义务是国家赋予国家机关(含警察、检察官及法官)告知被追诉人(犯罪嫌疑人、被告人)相关的事实、理由及权利的义务,是国家机关在刑事诉讼中承担的关照、帮助被追诉人实现其权利的一项特别义务。设定国家机关的告知义务,有利于保障被追诉人充分行使其权利。不论是国际公约还是一些法治发达国家都有关于告知义务的明确规定。我国刑事诉讼法对于告知义务的规定相对简单,应参照并借鉴国际公约及西方法治发达国家的立法经验,予以修改与完善。     

国际人权公约与中国刑事诉讼制度改革

我国于1998年签署了《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》,该公约确立了一系列有关刑事诉讼的国际准则。基于"条约必须信守"的原则,如何以刑事诉讼的国际准则为参照,推进我国刑事诉讼法的改革和完善,是我国当前刑事司法制度改革所面临的重大问题。本文以国际人权公约的批准和实施为视角,对我国刑事诉讼程序与国际准则的一致性与差异性进行了分析研究,并就刑事司法改革的若干重大问题提出了相应的建议。     

建立刑事辩护准入制度实现刑事辩护专业化——兼与张青松律师商榷

一、问题的提出 从比较法考察的视角，辩护权是一项被普遍承认的权利。尽管世界各国的政治体制、社会制度、意识形态、文化传统不同，但是，被指控人有权获得辩护却是公认的法律原则，并且得到国际社会的高度认同。从历史考察的视角，在固属自然权利之辩护权中，律师辩护权是一项能将被指控人的辩护权真正还原为一种现实权利的派生权利，所以，“刑事诉讼的历史就是扩大辩护权的历史”。     

刑事诉讼中私人不法取得证据之法律效力

私人取得的证据能否作为司法机关认定案件事实的证据,我国刑事诉讼法并未明文规定。在实践中,私人取证的现象大量存在,但同时也存在私人在取证过程中侵犯被取证者合法权益的现象。关于私人不法取得证据是否具有证据能力,有不应排除说、法律程序一元说、法益权衡理论等理论学说,而法益权衡理论更为合理。根据法益权衡理论,应建立私人不法取得证据分类排除机制,以切实保障被取证者的合法权益、被告人不受不当定罪的权利和国家追诉利益。     

检察官起诉裁量权的外部控制及其反思——以国际刑事诉讼为视角

在国际刑事诉讼中,检察官起诉裁量权的外部控制不可或缺,而单纯的外部控制却凸显范围有限、效果不佳、成本高昂等局限与不足。与单纯的外部控制相比,内部控制具有主动性、自律性的特点,且这种内部监督和控制的限度还与国际刑事法治的境界相契合。在当前检察官的起诉裁量权广泛存在且业已渗入非缔约国司法领域的情况下,只有将基于内外因辩证关系原理指导下的双重控制有机结合起来,才能防范裁量权滥用,促进实现裁量正义,保证国际刑事诉讼中检察官裁量权的公正行使。     

刑事被害人权利保护:国际司法准则与跨国法律框架

刑事被害人权利经历了一个从衰落到重新重视的过程。出于对过去的反思,国际社会试图建立起刑事被害人权利的国际司法准则,包括以欧洲为代表的区域性法律保护机制和联合国的全球性司法准则,其中以欧洲的区域性法律保护机制和准则最为完整和完善。这些国际司法准则包括了刑事被害人权利保护的各个方面,为我国构建和完善刑事被害人权利的法律保护机制提供了有益的启示。应当借鉴国际准则,完善我国关于刑事被害人权利保护的法律体系。     

Professionalism under the Legal Services Act 2007

The Legal Services Act 2007 represents an ambitious attempt to reconcile consumerism and professionalism. The Act created a Legal Services Board to oversee the regulation of the legal services market in England and Wales. The Board was also placed under a duty to promote consumer interests and to encourage an independent, strong, diverse and effective legal profession and to promote professional principles. The article examines the actual and prospective impacts of the Act on the legal professions, professional work, the regulatory system, regulatory method, professional ethics and legal education. It identifies threats posed to traditional conceptions of legal professionalism by the new regime and suggests ways that they might be mitigated.     

国际航空犯罪法人刑事责任及其国内立法转化研究

2010年《北京公约》和《北京议定书》首次规定了国际航空犯罪法人责任,法人责任以法人的高级管理人员代表法人实施劫持航空器等国际航空犯罪为要件,法人为此承担刑事、民事或行政责任。公约对法人犯罪及其责任的立法需要转化为国内法才能适用。世界各国国内法对法人犯罪及其责任的态度差别较大,英国、加拿大、法国等国刑法规定有航空犯罪的法人刑事责任,德国国内法规定有航空犯罪的法人行政责任,意大利刑法规定有航空犯罪的法人民事责任,我国仅在个别航空犯罪中规定有法人犯罪及其刑事责任。我国法人犯罪及其刑事责任的立法和理论具有较强的包容性,可在我国刑法中取消法人犯罪法定化限制,全面规定包括航空犯罪在内的法人犯罪及其刑事责任。     

刑事诉讼证明中事实推定之运用

事实推定都是有基础事实的推定,都是可反驳的推定。事实推定同利用证据进行证明一样,是诉讼证明的一种方法。事实推定可以降低证明的难度,可以有效打击犯罪。对主观方面(如故意、明知、目的等)的证明可以使用事实推定;对犯罪嫌疑人、被告人是否实施某行为的证明也可以使用事实推定。对事实推定的反驳不宜规定过高的标准,只要有合理的可能性即可。事实推定的运用必须遵守严格的规则和程序。该程序应当保证被推定人的知情权,为被推定人提供充分反驳的机会。     

国际刑法与后冷战国际法律秩序的重构

冷战结束后,国际法律秩序正在经历着一次新的重构,出现了较为明显的从“主权本位”和“同意导向”向“人权本位”和“强制导向”逐渐发展演变的趋势.而在这一过程中,国际刑法产生了重要的作用和影响,或者说此次重构进程就是在国际刑法的引领之下展开的.然而,目前的国际法体系仍以主权国家的“同意”为基础,恐怕不应以“强制”为导向,但是在国际刑法的发展中已经出现了明显的强制倾向,而这与国际法的“应然”状态显然有很大的差距.对国际刑法过度扩张的势头应持冷静和审慎观察的立场,与此同时积极主动倡导和引导建立包容、多元、平等和公正的后冷战国际法律秩序,发挥国际法律秩序促进维持国际和平与安全、保障各国社会经济可持续发展和保护人权的积极作用.     

Towards a Comprehensive Legal Aid System in Bangladesh: The Need for Early Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Proceedings

The government-funded legal aid system in Bangladesh has been undergoing development. Bangladesh has guaranteed the right to legal assistance in different laws and particularly in the Legal Aid Services Act (LASA) with specific and greater detail. Moreover, it acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in 2000. In this context, the purpose of this article is to examine the current practice of the country with respect to the granting of early access to legal aid in criminal proceedings in light of international human rights standards. The article indicates that the prevailing problem of arbitrary arrest and pre-trial detention of those who are living in poverty is a matter of grave concern in Bangladesh. The author, therefore, recommends a mechanism to ensure early access to legal aid in the government-operated legal aid framework, as a fundamental aspect of a comprehensive system, for the protection of the interests of those who have been arrested or detained prior to being interviewed and formally charged of a criminal offence.