SUBJECTS OF INTERNATIONAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2522-9656/2026-19-4Keywords:
international legal assistance, international cooperation, criminal proceedings, procedural actions, subjects of international legal assistance, central authorities, criminal procedure, international treaties, execution of procedural requestsAbstract
The article provides a comprehensive scientific and legal analysis of the subjects of international legal assistance in criminal proceedings. The system of authorities and officials involved in the implementation of the mechanism of international cooperation in the field of criminal justice is examined, and their powers and functions within the framework of executing requests for legal assistance are determined. It is substantiated that the effective functioning of the institution of international legal assistance largely depends on the clear identification of competent subjects, their procedural status, and the procedure for interaction during the execution of procedural requests from foreign states. The article reveals the specific features of the activities of the central authorities of Ukraine authorized to carry out international cooperation in criminal proceedings, in particular the Prosecutor General and the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, which ensure the receipt, consideration, and execution of requests for international legal assistance. The role of pre-trial investigation bodies, prosecutors, courts, and other participants in criminal proceedings in the process of implementing international requests is also analyzed. It is emphasized that international legal assistance in criminal proceedings is one of the main forms of international cooperation between states in combating crime. It consists in the execution by competent authorities of one state of procedural actions at the request of another state in order to obtain evidence, establish the circumstances of a criminal offense, or ensure the enforcement of court decisions. The article also notes that, alongside state institutions, international and intergovernmental organizations play a significant role in the development of international cooperation in criminal proceedings, including the United Nations, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and others. Some of these organizations were created specifically to increase the effectiveness of combating transnational crime, in particular INTERPOL, EUROPOL, and OLAF. It is concluded that international legal assistance in criminal proceedings is an important instrument for ensuring the effective investigation of criminal offenses of an international nature. Its implementation is based on a clearly defined system of subjects and an established procedural framework that provides for interaction between the competent authorities of different states.
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