刑事再審案件適用“行為時的法律”的反思──兼論最高人民法院法釋〔1997〕5號第10條的完善

最高人民法院法釋〔1997〕5號第10條規定；按照審判監督程序重新審判的案件；“適用行為時的法律”。但對於新法除罪化或趨輕變動的；如果絕對禁止有利溯及可能明顯不合時宜或量刑過重。為此；有必要針對新法變化的情形；類型化地建構具體運用規則；被告人不得僅以新法處罰輕緩為由從再審中獲利；原來的判決明顯不合理的；在特殊情況下；人民法院根據新的司法解釋主動通過再審允許有利溯及既往；並不會抵觸罪刑法定原則；對於所有再審時新法趨輕變動的案件；雖可適用行為時法定罪；但在量刑時考慮新法除罪化或處罰輕的取向；原則上不加重被告人的刑罰；《刑法》第63條第2款的特殊減輕制度可以作為相關的規範依據。這一意義上的“相對有利溯及論”能夠平衡法的安定性和實質正義之間的緊張關係；可以防止被告人遭受多重不利；降低法院主動或輕易地啟動明顯不利於被告人的再審的衝動。未來應當考慮對最高人民法院法釋〔1997〕5號第10條的規定作出必要修改。

The Supreme People's Court Interpretation (1997) No. 5, in its Article 10, states that cases retried under the supervision procedure should“apply the law in force at the time of the act”. However, for changes in the new law that decriminalize or lighten penalties, it is necessary to establish specific application rules for these changes. Defendants should not benefit from lighter penalties under the new law just for that reason. In special cases, courts can allow favorable retrospective application based on new judicial interpretations without violating the principle of legality. For cases with lighter penalties under the new law, while the law in force at the time of the act applies, sentencing should consider the new law's direction, and the special mitigation system under Criminal Law Article 63, Clause 2, can be a normative basis. This“relative favorability retrospective theory”balances legal stability and justice, preventing defendants from suffering multiple disadvantages and reducing courts' impulse to initiate retrials that are clearly unfavorable to defendants. Future modifications to this provision should be considered.