Current state and prospects for improving the legal regulation of the victim's right to access to justice in pre-trial criminal proceedings

Access to justice is one of the victims’ rights enshrined in the Constitution of the Russian Federation and international instruments. Nevertheless, the sectoral legislation, in particular, the criminal proceedings regulation, presents possible fragmentary instructions to exercise the above-mentioned right of a general nature rather than provides a comprehensive solution to the problems related to the right of access to justice of particular persons. This fact demonstrates the lack of the relevant security rules in the criminal procedure legislation and naturally requires its improvement. The paper analyzes the scientific views, legislative regulation, and legal opinion of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation with regard to the involvement of the victim in the initiation of the criminal procedure. Based on this information, the research reveals the essence and contexts of exercising the victim’s right to access to justice in criminal proceedings.