Sažetak U ovom radu prikazan je institut krunskog svjedoka, njegov položaj i uloga u kaznenom postupku. Krunski svjedok je pripadnik zločinačke organizacije, odnosno jedan od najučinkovitijih instrumenata u borbi protiv organiziranog kriminala. Sud je taj koji dodjeljuje status krunskom svjedoku na zahtjev državnog odvjetnika. Državni odvjetnik pod određenim uvjetima odstupa od načela legaliteta, odnosno odustaje od kaznenog progona okrivljenika u zamjenu za njegov svjedočki iskaz koji bi trebao pridonijeti otkrivanju kaznenih djela i počinitelja, kao i dokazivanju i sprječavanju u daljnjem počinjenu kaznenih djela. Te tu je važna primjena načela oportuniteta kao iznimka te potpuna suprotnost načela legaliteta. Institut krunskog svjedok uređen je posebnim zakonom, lex specialis Zakon o uredu za suzbijanje korupcije i organiziranog kriminala. U tom su zakonu, između ostalog, uređene pretpostavke koje je potrebno kumulativno ispuniti, kako bi okrivljenik ostvario status krunskog svjedoka. Krunski svjedok daje svoj iskaz koji bi trebao biti istinit, potpun, vjerodostojan, no i nije uvijek tako. Državna tijela moraju utvrditi da je težina počinjenja kaznenog djela razmjerna važnosti dokaza za uspješno vođenje kaznenih postupaka protiv pripadnika zločinačke organizacije, odnosno da je javni interes za dobivanje svjedočkog iskaza te osobe jači od javnog interesa njegovog kaznenog progona. To nam proizlazi iz načela razmjernosti koje ima bitnu ulogu prilikom dodjele statusa krunskog svjedoka. Zaštitu krunskog svjedoka možemo podijeliti na postupovnu i izvanpostupovnu, gdje je postupovna uređena Zakonom o kaznenom postupku, a izvanpostupovna Zakonom o zaštiti svjedoka. Zaštita je osigurana kako u našem zakonodavstvu, tako i na međunarodnoj razini, razini Europske unije te i poredbeno pravnim zakonodavstvima. Osim ovog instituta, u radu su spomenuta još dva instituta, institut procesnog imuniteta svjedoka (njegove sličnosti i razlike u odnosu na krunskog svjedoka), i posebna vrsta krunskog svjedoka, gdje Glavni državni odvjetnik od suda zahtjeva da pravomoćno osuđenom pripadniku zločinačke organizacije ublaži kazna, odnosno predloži prijevremeno donošenje odluke o uvjetnom otpustu u zamjenu za svjedočki iskaz.
Sažetak (engleski) This paper discusses the institute of the crown witness, its position and role in criminal proceedings. A Crown witness is a member of a criminal organization, and as such is one of the most effective instruments in the fight against organized crime. It is the court that grants the status of the crown witness at the request of the state attorney. Under certain conditions, the state attorney deviates from the principle of legality, that is, he gives up the criminal prosecution of the defendant in exchange for his testimony, which should contribute to the detection of criminal offenses and perpetrators, as well as to the proof and prevention of further criminal offenses. This is where the application of the principle of opportunity as an exception and the complete opposite of the principle of legality is important. The Crown Witness Institute is governed by a special law, the lex specialis Law on the Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime. That law, among other things, regulates the prerequisites that must be fulfilled cumulatively, in order for the defendant to achieve the status of a crown witness. The Crown witness gives his testimony, which should be true, complete, credible, but it is not always so. State authorities must determine that the gravity of the crime is commensurate with the importance of the evidence for the successful conduct of criminal proceedings against members of a criminal organization, that is, that the public interest in obtaining the testimony of that person is stronger than the public interest in his criminal prosecution. This follows from the principle of proportionality, which plays an important role when granting the status of a crown witness. Crown witness protection can be divided into procedural and extra-procedural, where procedural is regulated by the Criminal Procedure Act, and extra-procedural by the Witness Protection Act. Protection is ensured both in our legislation, as well as at the international level, the level of the European Union and comparative legal legislation. Apart from this institute, two other institutes are mentioned in this paper, institute of Procedural Witness Immunity (its similarities and differences in relation to the crown witness), and a special type of crown witness, where the Chief State Attorney requests the court to reduce the sentence of a legally convicted member of a criminal organization, that is, to propose an early decision on parole in exchange for a testimony.
Ključne riječi (engleski)
Crown witness
organized crime
principle of expediency/opportunity
principle of proportionality
Law on the Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime
Attorney General
procedural immunity of witnesses.
