Recordings from the DVR became full evidence in court

Today, the President of the Russian Federation signed the Federal Law “On Amendments to Article 26.7 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation in terms of the obligation to classify photographic and filming materials, sound and video recordings as evidence in an administrative offense case”.

In accordance with the Federal Law, photo and filming materials, sound and video recordings, information databases and data banks and other information carriers are given the status of full-fledged, rather than possible, evidence in an administrative offense case.

Until now, such materials were taken as evidence only at the discretion of the court.

Federal law extends the capacity of persons brought to administrative responsibility for the presentation of evidence (for example, the recording of the DVR) in support of their position in the consideration of cases of administrative offenses.

Thus, the equality of the procedural rights of the participants in the proceedings is now ensured, especially when considering cases on administrative offenses in the field of road traffic.

One of the authors of the document, State Secretary of the Federal Chamber of Lawyers, Konstantin Dobrynin, explainedthat the changes introduced “eliminate uncertainty, which can be a corruption factor”. He said that similar amendments are planned to be adopted in the Criminal Procedure, Arbitration and Civil Procedure Codes. Relevant bills have already been submitted to the State Duma.

The federal law was adopted by the State Duma on April 15, 2016 and approved by the Federation Council on April 20, 2016.