„Osoba podejrzana”, „podejrzany” i „oskarżony” w polskim procesie karnym – zakres pojęciowy
“A Person of Interest”, “a Suspect” and “a Defendant” in Polish Criminal Law Proceedings – Conceptual Apparatus

Summary/Abstract: The subject of this article is nomenclatural interpretation of the notions of “a person of interest”, “a suspect” and “a defendant” in Polish Code of Criminal Procedure – the parties in criminal proceedings who are suspected of committing a crime or who are charged with a crime. The article discusses the legal definitions of the word “suspect” according to Article 71 § 1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (i.e. a person against whom a statement of objections has been issued and a person who has been charged on the grounds of examination of the person in question as a suspect) as well as the word “defendant” according to Article 71 § 2 and 3 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (sensu stricto and sensu largo). Moreover, the article provides an overview of the available definitions of “a suspect” and “a person of interest” – parties named directly in the Code of Criminal Procedure.In addition to that, the article discusses the notion of “actual suspect” (whose definition and understanding varies in the doctrine), which emerged from the previously effective Code of Criminal Procedure. The article analyses the legal standing of such an “actual suspect” in the context of Article 233 § 1a of the Criminal Code (a regulation which is considered potentially unconstitutional).While discussing the figure of the “suspect”, the author analyzes terms such as “issuing” and “preparation” – in connection with Article 71 § 1 and 313 § 1 of the Criminal Code and the lack of agreement within the discipline regarding the precise time at which the statement of objections has been issued (which is connected with obtaining the position of the passive party to proceedings in criminal procedure).Moreover, the article discusses in some detail the legal standing of a person against which a motion has been presented, according to Article 354 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, regarding the discontinuation of proceedings and issuing preventive measures protecting the person of an insane perpetrator – in the context of nomenclature.

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