nfair as being disproportionately lenient - only when it is requested by the pubic prosecutor, the victim or the private prosecution (Article 383).
17. Under Article 377 §§ 4 and 5 of the CCP, the appeal instance may directly examine evidence, including additional material submitted by parties.
2. Defendant's presence at the appeal hearing
18. Under Article 375 § 2, if a convicted person wishes to participate in an appeal hearing he or she should indicate that wish in the statement of appeal.
19. Article 376 of the Code provides that upon receipt of the criminal case and the statements of appeal, the judge fixes the date, time and place for a hearing. The parties shall be notified of the date, time and place of the hearing no later than fourteen days before the scheduled hearing. The court determines whether the remanded convict should be summoned to the hearing. If the remanded convict has expressed the wish to be present at the examination of his appeal, he has the right to participate in person or to state his case via video link. The manner of his participation in the hearing is to be determined by the court. A defendant who has appeared before the court shall always be entitled to take part in the hearing. The failure of persons timely notified about the date, time and venue of the hearing to appear does not preclude the court from taking on the examination of the case.
20. Under Article 377, the presiding judge opens the hearing by announcing which criminal case is to be examined and on whose appeal. He then announces the composition of the court, the names of persons who are parties to the proceedings and are present at the hearing and hears the statements of those who had lodged the appeals and of the opposing parties. The appeal court is entitled, at the party's request, to directly examine evidence and additional materials provided by the parties to support or disprove the arguments cited in the statement of appeal or in the statements of the opposing party.
3. Legal representation
21. The CCP provides as follows:
Article 51
"1. Participation of legal counsel in the criminal proceedings is mandatory if:
1) the suspect or the accused has not waived legal representation in accordance with Article 52 of this Code;
2) the suspect or the accused is a minor;
3) the suspect or the accused cannot exercise his right of defence by himself owing to a physical or mental handicap;
3.1) the court proceedings are to be conducted [in the absence of the accused] in accordance with Article 247 § 5 of this Code;
4) the suspect or the accused does not speak the language in which the proceedings are conducted;
5) the suspect or the accused faces serious charges carrying a term of imprisonment exceeding fifteen years, life imprisonment or the death penalty;
6) the criminal case falls to be examined by a jury trial;
7) the accused has filed a request for the proceedings to be conducted [without a hearing] under Chapter 40 of this Code;
2. ...
3. In the circumstances provided for by paragraph 1 above, unless counsel is retained by the suspect or the accused, or his lawful representative, or other persons on request, or with consent, of the suspect or the accused, it is incumbent on the investigator, prosecutor or the court to ensure participation of legal counsel in the proceedings."
Article 52
"1. The suspect or the accused may refuse legal assistance at any stage of criminal proceedings. Such a waiver may only be accepted if made on the own initiative of the suspect or the accused. The waiver must be filed in writing and must be recorded in the official minutes of the relevant procedural act.
..."
B. Case-law of the Constitutional Court
of
> 1 2 3 4 ... 6 7 8