- 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
Suspect and defendant
Suspect and defendant are specific terms used in regard of culprits in criminal procedure. In pre-trial investigation the term “suspect” is used in regard of everyone who is being questioned about a crime he or she might have committed. When enough evidence of the guilt of the suspect are gathered, a prosecutor lays the charges against him or her and forwards the case file to court. From this moment the term “defendant” is used in regard of the culprit instead of the term “suspect”.
Court hearings can proceed in exceptional cases even when injured parties are not present, however cannot be held when a defendant is absent.
When questioned during a trial injured parties (victims) and witnesses are requested to give an oath to tell the truth, while such a request is not applied to defendants – they cannot be punished for giving false statements. In some cases, presence of a defendant can be stressful for injured parties (victims) and witnesses testifying at a trial, in these cases a judge can decide that a defendant shall leave the room that hearing takes place for the time of the testimony. In these cases, the defendant is provided with technical opportunity to what the questioning going on and to forward his or her questions to a judge, who is obliged to read them to the injured party (victim) or a witness.