Reform of the Code of Criminal Procedure: Expert discussion in Berlin

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Published: October 15, 2026

How can criminal proceedings be made more efficient without curtailing the rights of those involved? What are the advantages and disadvantages of a plea bargain? And what problems and challenges does the digitalisation of criminal proceedings entail? A high-level delegation from Vietnam’s Supreme People’s Procuracy, led by the Deputy Prosecutor General, gathered information on these issues in Berlin from 12 to 14 October 2026.

Reason for the exchange

The Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam is tasked with preparing a comprehensive revision of the Vietnamese Code of Criminal Procedure. Together with German experts, they sought to incorporate international experience into the reform and identify suitable approaches for Vietnamese criminal procedure law.

Our Chief Executive, Dr Christian Johnson, began by providing insights into the legal and practical framework for cross-border cooperation in criminal matters. This was followed by an extensive programme involving many stakeholders!

Digitalisation and efficient criminal proceedings

Participants learnt how the digitalisation of the criminal justice system is progressing in Germany and what challenges it entails during discussions at the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection and at the Berlin Senate Department for Justice and Consumer Protection. There, Dr Tobias Kaehne, head of the project to introduce electronic case files in Berlin’s criminal courts, presented their practical implementation in Berlin’s criminal proceedings.

Further presentations focused on the public prosecutor’s discretion in criminal prosecution and plea bargaining in criminal proceedings. Philipp Meyhöfer from the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office and Friederike Bartl, a judge at Tiergarten Local Court, examined the legal requirements and practical application of these instruments. The discussion also centred on the limitations of such procedures and the safeguarding of the rule of law.  Andreas Wattenberg, a specialist lawyer in criminal law, contributed  the defence perspective to the discussion.

Combating criminal structures through asset recovery

However, the recovery of assets derived from criminal offences was also a key focus. Dr Holger Mann, a judge at the Berlin Court of Appeal, introduced the subject of asset recovery under the ‘ ’ – even without a prior conviction. In further discussions with Dr Felix Lüth and Beate Bärnklau from the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office, this topic was explored in greater depth, with a focus on prosecutorial practice.

Impetus for reform in Vietnam

The study visit gave the Vietnamese delegation a first-hand insight into the work of German courts, the public prosecutor’s office and the legal profession. At the same time, it provided an opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss both the opportunities and limitations of individual criminal procedure instruments and their applicability in Vietnam. We will, of course, be in contact with our Vietnamese partners regarding the continuation of these discussions.