قابلیت پذیرش ادله‌ی دیجیتال در دیوان کیفری بین‌المللی

ادله‌ی دیجیتال ناظر به اطلاعات برگرفته از «منابع بسته» مانند «یو‌اس‌بی» حاوی اطلاعات و «منابع باز» مانند پست‌های بارگذاری شده در شبکه‌های اجتماعی می‌باشند که بوسیله‌ی یک دستگاه دیجیتال تولید، ذخیره، دریافت، پردازش و منتقل می‌شوند. در دادرسی‌های بین‌المللی کیفری، این ادله ظرفیت‌های مهمی جهت فرآیند تحقیق و پیگرد جرایم بین‌المللی فراهم آورده‌ اند و سابقه‌ی استفاده از آنها به دادگاه‌‌های بین‌المللی کیفری موقت می‌رسد. دیوان کیفری بین‌المللی نیز از این ادله استفاده می‌کند. مقاله‌‌ی پیش‌رو مبتنی بر یک شیوه‌ی توصیفی - تحلیلی، به این سوال پاسخ می‌دهد که فرایند پذیرش این ادله در دیوان کیفری بین‌المللی به چه نحو می‌باشد؟ با توجه به ویژگی‌های خاص ادله‌ی دیجیتال، فرایند پذیرش آنها مطابق ماده‌ی 69 (4) اساسنامه‌ی رم و رویه‌‌ی قضایی، شامل مراحل ارتباط، ارزش اثباتی و اثر جانبدارانه می‌باشد. نخست دیوان باید احراز کند که ادله، علی‌الظاهر به واقعیت مورد بحث در پرونده مرتبط است. در مرحله‌ی ارزش اثباتی، بصورت علی‌الظاهر مبتنی بر مولفه‌های قابلیت اعتماد و گاه اهمیت ادله، قابلیت ادله در اثبات چیزی که مدعی آن هستند، بررسی می‌شود. در مرحله‌‌ی سوم، دیوان باید قانع شود که اثر جانبدارانه‌ی ادله نقض جدی حق بر دادرسی منصفانه را به دنبال ندارد. البته مواردی چون احتمال مشخص نبودن انگیزه‌ و روش جمع‌آوری ادله‌، دشواری ارزیابی اصالت ادله به دلیل جعل، مشخص نبودن منبع اطلاعات یا زمان و مکان ثبت آنها و نیز امکان تقابل ادله با حق بر دادرسی منصفانه، مهمترین چالش‌های پذیرش این ادله در دیوان هستند.

admissibility of digital evidence at the international criminal court

digital evidence refers to information obtained from both “closed” sources, such as usb flash drives, and “open” sources, like social media posts. this information is produced, stored, received, processed, and transmitted by digital devices. over the past few decades, the rapid growth of information and communication technologies has enabled the generation, recording, and transmission of vast amounts of digital data. due to its ability to capture precise timestamps and locations of events, as well as preserve information over long periods, digital evidence plays an unprecedented role in documenting international crimes. as technology advances, the international criminal court (icc) encounters digital evidence more frequently than its predecessors, the temporary tribunals. however, there are significant challenges in admitting digital evidence, including uncertainties regarding the motives and methods of collection, difficulties in verifying authenticity due to risks of manipulation or forgery, the lack of clarity about the source, time, and location of the data, and the potential conflict with the right to a fair trial. this article, based on a descriptive-analytical approach, examines how the icc navigates these evidentiary materials, the associated challenges, and the court’s approach to admitting digital evidence.methodologythis article employs a descriptive-analytical approach to examine the issue. persian and english sources—such as books, articles, and icc jurisprudence—were reviewed, with relevant material extracted and analyzed. additionally, related documents, reports, and information from websites were examined to provide a comprehensive perspective on the subject.findingsdigital evidence is classified as documentary evidence at the international criminal court. due to the unique characteristics of digital evidence, its admissibility process—based on article 69(4) of the rome statute and the icc’s jurisprudence—consists of three stages: relevance, probative value, and prejudicial effect. first, the court determines whether the evidence is prima facie relevant to the facts at issue. at the probative value stage, the court evaluates the reliability of the evidence, considering factors like integrity, metadata, source, chain of custody, and the method of collection. in the third stage, the court assesses whether the prejudicial effect of the evidence outweighs its probative value, ensuring the right to a fair trial is upheld. these stages are not ranked in terms of importance, as each plays a distinct role in the admissibility analysis. the court applies a relatively low threshold when determining relevance but assesses the significance of each piece of evidence later. in evaluating probative value, the court focuses on factors such as reliability and the importance of the evidence for the case. the assessment of prejudicial effect is considered in light of the overall fairness of the proceedings. the court typically excludes evidence only when its prejudicial effect significantly outweighs its probative value. the findings indicate that challenges in the admissibility of digital evidence at the icc include uncertainties regarding the motives and methods of collection, difficulties in verifying authenticity due to manipulation risks, the obscurity of data sources, and the potential to undermine the right to a fair trial.noveltythis article fills the gap in scholarly attention to the legal framework governing the admissibility of digital evidence under the icc’s provisions, rules, and jurisprudence. it provides a comprehensive analysis of that framework, emphasizing both technical and legal dimensions of digital evidence. the article identifies key challenges and proposes approaches to ensure a balanced use of digital evidence at the icc while safeguarding procedural fairness.