THE (IN)ADEQUACY OF THE REGULATION OF EXTENDING PRE-TRIAL DETENTION BY THE SUPREME COURT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA

At the normative and practical level, the article analyses the regulation of Article 20 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia, which vests in the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia the power to extend pre-trial detention during the criminal investigation phase for a maximum of three months. From the perspective of comparative law, this is a Slovenian peculiarity. The author argues that the current regulation is systemically inadequate, and fails to guarantee the highest level of human rights protection for the detained individual. The following objections support this thesis: the Supreme Court’s power to extend pre-trial detention is inconsistent with the fundamental role of this court; the arrangement prevents the defendant from filing a comprehensive legal appeal; it does not enhance the perception of impartiality in trials or trust in the judiciary; and it is unnecessary for developing case law in the area of deprivation of liberty. The article proposes alternative solutions that would better align with the Supreme Court’s role and adhere more closely to the original intent of ensuring the highest level of human rights protection in pre-trial detention decisions.