Beschuldigde

Beschuldigde is a term used in Dutch-language criminal procedure to refer to a person who has been formally accused of committing a crime by the public prosecutor. It is used in the Netherlands and in Dutch-speaking parts of Belgium. The beschuldigde is the subject of the charges in the trial phase, after the preliminary investigation has led to a filing of a tenlastelegging or equivalent charging document. The term is distinct from verdacht, which describes someone under investigation or suspicion before formal charges are brought. The word is gender-neutral, and its plural is beschuldigden.

As a noun, de beschuldigde means the person who faces charges. It can also appear as an attributive adjective, as in het beschuldigde feit, though the exact form may vary with grammar. The related verb is beschuldigen, “to accuse.” In practice, the beschuldigde retains fundamental rights, including presumption of innocence, notification of charges, access to legal counsel, the opportunity to respond and present evidence, the right to read the case file, and the right to appeal against a verdict or sentence.

The status of beschuldigde typically follows the stage of indictment or charging, differentiating it from the earlier status of verdachte (suspect). In Belgium and the Netherlands, this distinction mirrors the shift from investigation to judicial proceedings. The term is commonly used in legal texts and media to refer to the person who is formally charged and prosecuted in a criminal case, rather than to someone merely suspected of wrongdoing.