- I was a victim of crime: consequences and reactions
- The rights of victims of crime
- Right to information
- Right to receive acknowledgement of the complaint
- Right to translation
- Right to victim support services
- Right to be heard
- Rights in the event of a decision not to charge the defendant
- Right to mediation
- Right to legal information and protection
- Right to reimbursement of expenses
- Right to the return of property
- Right to compensation
- Right to protection
- Right to privacy
- Rights of victims resident in another EU member state
- Criminal proceedings
- Who’s who in criminal proceedings
- Victim (Injured Party)
- Judge
- Prosecutor
- Pre-trial investingation officer
- Court secretary
- Court volunteer
- Victim’s lawyer
- Legal representative of an injured party (victim)
- Accompanying person of an injured party (victim)
- Victim support worker
- Suspect and defendant
- Defense lawyer
- Witness
- Experts and specialists
- Interpreter
- Psychologist
- Representative of state institution on protection of children rights
- Civil claimant and civil defendant
Right to receive acknowledgement of the complaint
When you report a crime to an institution of pre-trial investigation, the officials must start a pre-trial investigation immediately. However in exceptional cases the laws provide for 10 days term for the pre-trial investigation institutions to check whether it is absolutely clear that no crime has been committed or that pre-trial investigation is not possible due to other reasons (e.g. the culprit has already been sentenced before for the crime reported, or the statute of limitations has already passed, etc.).
Please note that laws do not request law enforcement officials who receive your report to issue any acknowledgment that the report has been received. However, recommendations approved by the Prosecutor General state that you could ask for a copy of your report with a registration mark on it to be made.
In case you have submitted a formal report to pre-trial investigation institution about the crime suffered, you will be notified in writing both in case a decision to launch pre-trial investigation has been taken, and in case pre-trial investigation officer has decided not to proceed with the case. One of these decisions shall be taken by the pre-trial investigation officer not later than in 10 days after your report has been submitted. Please note that you have a right to appeal decision of the pre-trial officer to the prosecutor, and, in case the prosecutor does not change the decision, you can appeal the decision to a pre-trial judge. However, please note that the time frame for appeals is rather short – 7 days in both cases. Please also note that the Code of Criminal Procedure establishes that the person who has applied for pre-trial investigation to be started has a right to access the data that the decision not to start pre-trial investigation was based upon.