Electronic evidence in criminal proceedings: concept and significance

The purpose of this article is to show that electronic evidence in criminal proceedings is becoming commonplace. They can be electronic records, messages, files located on electronic media. Objects of this kind acquire procedural significance not only for computer crimes. Any of the circumstances to be proved may be presented in digital form. It is alleged that electronic evidence today is a symbol of evidence, the contents of which are presented in electronic form. This state of affairs persists due to the lack of legislative consolidation of this category. The author believes that electronic evidence is a much wider category, and may include records stored, for example, by network or Internet providers. Such data can be used in evidence under a number of conditions. Electronic evidence includes information presented in digital form, which is capable of establishing the circumstances to be proved in a criminal case, stored on an electronic information carrier and (or) provided independently of it. Such information can be considered in the status of material evidence and other documents depending on its (information) design, storage, use in the commission of crimes. Evidence must meet the clear requirements of admissibility, relevance and reliability.