In the course of time, recollection of an offence fades away in human memory. The perpetrator has served a sentence, compensated for damage and there is no reason he or she should live with the mark of a criminal. This is why the legislator introduced the institution of expungement of criminal record.

At the moment a sentence is expunged, it is treated as non-existent and the entry concerning the sentence is deleted from the criminal record. A sentence of imprisonment without conditional suspension for a crime against sexual freedom and decency cannot be expunged if the aggrieved person was a minor under 15. In the event of a sentence of imprisonment, expungement takes place by virtue of law after 10 years since serving the sentence or penalty waiver or prescription of penalty execution.

At the motion of the convict, the court can adjudicate expungement of criminal record already after 5 years, if during this period the convict obeyed law and the sentence of imprisonment did not exceed 3 years. In the case of a fine or restriction of liberty, expungement takes place by virtue of law after 5 years since serving the sentence or penalty waiver or prescription of penalty execution. At the motion of the convict, the court can adjudicate expungement of criminal record already after 3 years. In the event that the court refrains from imposing punishment, expungement is carried out by virtue of law after 1 year since issuing of the final and binding judgement.

[Legal status as at July 2015]