- VICTIM SUPPORT
- THE RIGHTS OF VICTIMS OF CRIME
- Victims right to understand and to be understood
- Right to receive information from the very first contact with the competent authority
- Victims’ rights when making a complaint
- Victims’ right to receive information about their case
- The right to translation
- The right to access victim support services
- Support from victim support services
- Right to safeguards in terms of restorative justice services
- Victims’ rights who reside in another EU member state
- Right to avoid contact between victim and offender
- Victim protection during the criminal investigation
- Protection of private life
- Individual assessment of victims- Special protection
- Right to protection of victims with special needs during criminal proceedings
- Rights of the witness of crime
- CRIMINAL COURT PROCEEDINGS
- WHO IS WHO IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
- I WAS A VICTIM OF CRIME: COMMON REACTIONS
Victims’ right to receive information about their case
(according to Article 59 of Law 4478/2017)
Being promptly informed about the case is an important right of victims. According to Article 59 of Law 4478/2017, victims at the stage of the investigation of the case may request information on the procedural stage of their case from the competent public prosecutor, provided that the case file has been submitted to the latter.
If the victim has lodged a civil action, you can have access to the case file and be provided with the relevant documents as soon as the defendant is summoned to enter a plea, or an arrest warrant or forcible summons is issued against him or her (108 CPC), or if the person accused of committing the offence is summoned by the authorities to give an explanation. Until then, secrecy is maintained in the process.
In detail, the right of victims to be informed about their case includes the following:
1. The victim shall be informed without undue delay of his or her right to receive information, upon request, concerning
the criminal proceedings instituted following the report of the offence, in particular as regards:
- (a) Any order or judgment deciding not to accuse or to discontinue the prosecution or not to prosecute the offender, including the reasons or a brief summary of the reasons for such order or judgment.
- (b) The time and place of the trial and the nature of the charges against the offender.
- (c) Information on the progress of the criminal proceedings and the final decision issued, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, if he or she become a legal party to the criminal proceedings.
- (d) Information on the lifting or replacement of the provisional detention by the competent judicial authority. Information concerning the release or escape of the sentenced person or the granting of leave by the competent authorities of the Detention Centre, as well as any measures to protect him or her in the event of release or escape of the offender. The above information shall be provided, subject to the approval of the prosecuting authority, where there is a potential or established risk of harm to the victim, unless there is an established risk of harm to the offender as a result of disclosure of such information.
2. The information referred to in paragraph 1 may be sent to a personal e-mail address indicated by the victim or delivered to the victim in person or to the victim’s appointed lawyer, if a civil defence has been lodged.
3. A victim may at any time withdraw his or her application concerning the exercise of all or part of his or her rights under this Article, with the exception of the rights to information arising from his or her status as a civil claimant.