Reforming the judicial system of the USSR during the "thaw" period

After Stalin's death in 1953, a process began in the Soviet state that is called the "thaw" in historical literature and is associated with one of its main initiators, the new leader of the monopoly ruling CPSU, and then the state, N.S. Khrushchev. A characteristic feature of the "thaw" was a sharp decrease in political repression, the restoration of legality in the law enforcement sphere, and above all in terms of criminal law measures against those who were called "enemies of the people", this is evidenced, in particular, by large-scale amnesties, as well as the rehabilitation of political prisoners. In this context, the state of the judicial system of the Soviet state, where, in fact, sentences were passed, and above all this concerned criminal-political cases, was of great importance. Accordingly, the question of transforming such a judicial system arose. The article examines the features of the reform of the judicial system of the USSR in the post-Stalin period, which covered the years 1953-1960. The regulatory legal acts that regulated the activities of the judicial system and legal proceedings in those years are analyzed, including the Fundamentals of Legislation on the Judicial System of the USSR (1958) and other laws, as well as scientific works that touch on the stated topic. It is noted that the upcoming reform of the judicial system was discussed for several years, and then in 1957-1960 fundamental acts were adopted at both the union and republican levels (USSR and RSFSR).