Hloviuk I., Hryniuk V. Protection and defence of the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions in pre-trial investigations: doctrine and case law

DOI: 10.33098/2078-6670.2023.15.27.1.239-249

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to identify the problematic issues of regulation of protection and defence of the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions in the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine in pre-trial investigation in terms of case law and to formulate proposals for their solution at the level of law-making, law enforcement and interpretation. Methodology. The methodology includes a set of methods of scientific research: hermeneutical, dialectical, systemic and structural, logical and normative methods. Results: based on the results of the study, the authors identify the provisions of the criminal procedure legislation which reflect the conventional standards of the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions; the authors identify the problematic provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine and the case law which do not correlate with the conventional guarantees of the right to peaceful enjoyment of possessions. The authors propose amendments and additions to Article 169 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, paragraph 3 of Part 2 of Article 307 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. Scientific novelty: the authors identify a list of procedural acts and decisions within which the right to peaceful enjoyment of property in criminal proceedings may be interfered with; substantiate the need to provide for a consistent legal regime of items and documents seized as a result of temporary access to items and documents in the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine; identify regulatory gaps regarding the return of temporarily seized property; identify problematic issues of National Agency of Ukraine for finding, tracing and management of assets derived from corruption and other crimes. Practical relevance: the results of the study can be used in law-making and law enforcement activities when applying measures to ensure criminal proceedings, and to ensure the activities of the National Agency of Ukraine for finding, tracing and management of assets derived from corruption and other crimes.

Key words: pre-trial investigation, Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, peaceful enjoyment of possessions, ECHR case law, measures to ensure criminal proceedings, seizure of property, property arrest, National Agency of Ukraine for finding, tracing and management of assets derived from corruption and other crimes, material evidence.

References

1. Posibnyk «Zakhyst vlasnosti» analizuie ta pidsumovuie pretsedentne pravo zi statti 1 Protokolu № 1 Konventsii pro zakhyst prav liudyny ta osnovopolozhnykh svobod do 31 serpnia 2018 roku [The “Property Protection” guide analyzes and summarizes case law from Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 of the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms until August 31, 2018]. Available at: https://www.echr.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Guide_Art_1_Protocol_1_UKR_-2019.pdf (in Ukrainian) (accessed 11 January 2023).
2. Muzychenko, O.V. (2016) Implementation of the constitutional principle of inviolability of property rights at the stage of pre-trial investigation: Phd thesis. abstract. Kharkiv. (in Ukrainian)
3. Smokov, S. M., Kholostenko, A. V., Lisnichenko, D. V. (2020)/ Vyluchennia maina pid chas kryminalnoho provadzhennia [Seizure of property during criminal proceedings]. Odesa. (in Ukrainian)
4. Zinkovskyi, I.P. (2021). Vyluchennia rechei i dokumentiv v khodi diznannia: pytannia vykorystannia u dokazuvanni [Seizure of things and documents during the investigation: issues of use in evidence]. Teoriia ta praktyka protydii zlochynnosti u suchasnykh umovakh: Zbirnyk tez Mizhnarodnoi naukovo–praktychnoi konferentsii (5 lystopada 2021 roku). (pp. 75-79). Lviv. (in Ukrainian)
5. Drozd, A.V. (2019). Ensuring the inviolability of property rights in criminal proceedings: PhD thesis abstract. Kharkiv. Available at: http://dspace.univd.edu.ua/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/5881/aref_Drozd%20A%20V_2019.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (accessed 11 January 2023) (in Ukrainian)
6. Zinkovskyi, I. P., Hloviuk, I.V. (2020). Povnovazhennia slidchoho pry obranni, zmini ta skasuvanni zakhodiv zabepechennia kryminalnoho provadzhennia: doktryna ta praktyka [Investigator’s powers in the course of imposition, change, or revoking of measures to ensure criminal proceedings: doctrine and practice] Odesa: Helvetyka. (in Ukrainian)
7. Zavtur, V.A. (2021) Pravovyi status rechei i dokumentiv, vyluchenykh za ukhvaloiu pro tymchasovyi dostup do rechei i dokumentiv: pytannia pravovoi vyznachenosti. [Legal status of things and documents seized under the decision on temporary access to things and documents: the issue of legal certainty]. Kryminalna yustytsiia suchasnoi Ukrainy: vyklyky ta perspektyvy : materialy Mizhnar. nauk.-prakt. konf., prysv. do 75-richchia d.iu.n., prof. Yu.P. Alenina (m. Odesa, 20 lystop. 2021 r.). (pp. 78-83). Odesa. (in Ukrainian)
8. Kaplina, O., Fomin, S. (2020). Proportionality of Interference with the Right to Peaceful Enjoyment of Property During the Seizure of Property in Criminal Proceedings in Ukraine. Access to Justice in Eastern Europe, 4 (8), 246-264 (in English). https://doi.org/10.33327/AJEE-18-3.4-a000038
9. Decision of the investigating judge of the High Anti-Corruption Court case No. 991/5144/21 (2021, August 3). Available at: https://reyestr.court.gov.ua/Review/98755927 (accessed 11 January 2023) (in Ukrainian)
10. Kovalchuk, S.O. (2015). Umovy peredachi dokaziv na vidpovidalne zberihannia vlasnyku (zakonnomu volodiltsiu) pid chas kryminalnoho provadzhennia [Conditions for the transfer of evidence for responsible storage of the owner (legal owner) during criminal proceedings.] Visnyk Pivdennoho rehionalnoho tsentru Natsionalnoi akademii pravovykh nauk Ukrainy, 5, 210-217 (in Ukrainian).
11. Krytska, I. (2017). Zberihannia rechovykh dokaziv u kryminalnomu provadzhenni: meta, sposoby, umovy y subiekty [Storage of material evidence in criminal proceedings: purpose, methods, conditions and subjects]. Pidpryiemnytstvo, hospodarstvo i pravo, 6, 178-182 (in Ukrainian).
12. On the National Agency of Ukraine for finding, tracing and management of assets derived from corruption and other crimes: Law of Ukraine No. 772-VIII (2015, October 10). Available at: https://zakon. rada.gov.ua/laws/show/772-19. (accessed 11 January 2023) (in Ukrainian).