Abstract

The presumption of innocence is one of the fundamental principles of criminal procedure, reflecting the deeply humanitarian and progressive nature of the law and serving as an important benchmark for assessing the protection of human rights in a rule-of-law state. Although this principle has been recognized in the 2013 Constitution and the 2015 Criminal Procedure Code, its application in criminal proceedings in Vietnam still faces many limitations in practice. This article analyzes the theoretical foundations and the current state of the application of the presumption of innocence, and proposes solutions to enhance the effectiveness of its implementation in response to the requirements of building and perfecting the socialist rule-of-law state of Vietnam in the new period.

Keywords: Criminal procedure, human rights, judicial reform, presumption of innocence, socialist rule-of-law state, Vietnam.