论二审死刑案件的公开审理

公开审判与司法公正,二者之间具有不可分割的内在联系。二审死刑案件普遍实行公开审判,不仅在实现司法公正、保障公民程序人权上具有重要意义,在限制死刑的适用,彰显对生命权的特别尊重方面,也具有不可低估的作用。而开庭审理是公开审判最基本的要求。目前司法实践以《刑事诉讼法》第187条作为法律依据,对死刑二审案件实行所谓的“书面审理”的做法,不仅是对该法律规定的误解,在一定程度上也体现了生命至上与程序公正理念的缺失。

On the Public Trial of the Capital Cases of the Second Instance

The public trial of the capital cases and impartiality entail their inherent relation without separation. The capital cases of the second instance are always publicly tried, which is of significance not merely in realizing impartiality in judicature and guaranteeing citizens' human rights in view of procedure, but also in restricting application of capital punishment and demonstration the reverence of right to exist. Holding a public hearing of the capital cases is the essential requirement of the public trial. The judicial practice at present is based on Article 187 of the Criminal Procedure Law of the PRC. However, the capital cases of the second instance are done in form of the so-called adjudication by record, which shows the misconception of the set legal regulation but at least in some sense exposes the lacking of the idea of taking human life above everything and of impartiality in procedure.