Special status of certain categories of persons in criminal proceedings in the context of compliance with the principle of equality: analysis and critique

Criminal proceedings, being a complex and multifaceted mechanism for protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, inevitably face the need to take into account the specific circumstances associated with certain categories of persons involved in the criminal process. Granting special status to these categories, on the one hand, is aimed at ensuring fair and effective proceedings, and on the other, may raise questions about the observance of the principle of equality before the law and the court. One of the key problems is the vagueness of the criteria for categorizing certain persons as having special status, which creates the possibility of abuse. In this study, the author conducts a comprehensive analysis of the special status of certain categories of persons in the criminal justice system of the Russian Federation, identifies problematic aspects of its application and attempts to develop recommendations for improving legislation and law enforcement practice. The aim of the work is to contribute to the formation of a balanced system of criminal proceedings, which takes into account the peculiarities of certain categories of persons without prejudice to the fundamental principles of justice.