THE CONCEPT AND THE FUNDAMENTAL GUARANTEES OF LEGALITY OF SECRET INVESTIGATIVE ACTIONS

Abstract

This article discusses a number of important issues regarding the implementation of secret investigative activities. Secret investigative operations, as operations carried out during pre-trial proceedings, have specific tasks aimed at detection and prevention of crimes, collection of evidence and identification of the person who committed the crime. In the legal and linguistic sense, “covert” means a secret, non-public, inconspicuous practice, the purpose of which is to provide evidence necessary for the investigator’s actions. The probative value of secret investigative operations is largely determined by the protection of the guarantees provided by law during their implementation. Compliance of national legislation with international standards is essential to ensure the legality of covert investigative activities. The position of the European Court of Human Rights on this issue emphasizes that the competent authorities of the states can carry out secret operations to ensure the protection of public safety, but there must always be clear and effective guarantees for the protection of human rights. The guarantees established by the state for the implementation of secret investigative activities are intended to exclude human rights violations, possible interferences and abuses. For example, according to Article 243 of the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia, secret investigative actions are carried out based on a court order and only in the event that gathering evidence by other means is impossible. In the case of conducting secret investigative activities, priority is given to the proportionality of the interference with personal data and the protection of private life and fundamental rights. The legislation of Armenia also sets clear restrictions on the scope of persons against whom secret actions can be carried out, including with the permission of the court. The author concludes that secret investigative actions, being an independent type of state activity carried out by law enforcement agencies within the scope of the functions assigned to them by law, are subject to implementation in accordance with the nature of that activity, its purpose and the legality conditions set by the legislation, always guaranteeing a fair balance between the public interest and the rights of the individual.