CNJ approves rule for recognizing criminal suspects

The National Council of Justice (CNJ) approved today (6) a resolution to establish guidelines for the recognition of suspected criminals. The measure aims to avoid the conviction and imprisonment of innocent people. According to the normative act, the entire procedure must be recorded and the images must be made available to the parties involved in the process. In addition, it will be necessary to carry out a prior investigation to collect evidence of the accused person’s participation before submitting him to the recognition procedure. The resolution also determines that the use of images from social networks is avoided and that information that may induce recognition of the accused is not presented. The reconnaissance must be done with the face-to-face alignment of four people. When this form is not possible, four photographs must be presented to the complainant. In the impossibility of carrying out the previous modalities, other means of proof must be prioritized. For the President of the CNJ and the Federal Supreme Court (STF), Minister Rosa Weber, the resolution could avoid the conviction of innocent people and guarantee the accountability of the real culprits. “The CNJ takes a historic step in raising the standard of reliability of proof of recognition and in the qualification of judicial provision in our country, factors that contribute, at the same time, to avoid the arrest and conviction of innocent people and reduce impunity”, stated. The normative act was carried out from the creation of a working group to deal with the theme. The group was led by Minister Rogério Schietti, of the Superior Court of Justice (STJ), and by the CNJ’s Department of Monitoring and Inspection of the Prison System.

Agência Brasil