Ensuring Admissibility of Electronic Evidence in Criminal Proceedings

The paper substantiates the need to clarify existing definitions of "electronic evidence" in criminal procedure science. Content analysis of scholarly literature reveals types and classifications of admissibility criteria for electronic evidence. Through a systematic analysis of criminal procedure legislation, legal positions of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, a study of criminal procedure practice, an empirical study conducted by the author in 2024-2025 in 12 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and foreign experience in using electronic evidence in criminal procedure proving, additional criteria for the admissibility of electronic criminal procedure evidence have been updated based on their digital origin and scope of existence. The author proposes a definition of electronic evidence in criminal proceedings, and systematizes the criteria for its admissibility in order to optimize criminal procedural practice.