Comparative legal review of statutory provisions on the evidentiary measure of temporary seizure of objects

Temporary seizure of objects represents an evidentiary measure in modern criminal procedural law, aimed at securing items that may be of significance for proving facts in criminal proceedings. This evidentiary measure is prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Serbia. Its specific characteristic lies in the fact that it may be undertaken independently or within the execution of other evidentiary measures-most commonly during on-site inspections and searches-when items are also temporarily seized. This evidentiary measure holds an important place in ensuring the principles of a fair and efficient criminal procedure, as it enables the collection and preservation of material evidence essential for establishing facts in the course of criminal proceedings. The validity of this procedural action must be accompanied by a certificate of the temporarily seized items, which is issued to the person from whom the items are taken and represents its formal element. It is also of particular importance that the seized items be individually listed and described, both in the certificate and in the official record of the evidentiary action, which is prepared by the authorized officials during its execution. This paper analyzes the evidentiary measure of temporary seizure of objects within the criminal procedural law of the Republic of Serbia, with the aim of emphasizing its significance. In addition, through a comparative review of legal solutions in Austria, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Russian Federation, the paper examines different approaches to regulating this measure. The analysis includes the conditions and procedures for its application, the legal position of the person from whom the objects are seized, as well as the process of returning temporarily seized items.