What is a victim and what are their rights in criminal proceedings?

A victim is any person who can prove that he or she has suffered harm as a result of a crime. The status of victim is independent of the existence or success of criminal proceedings. Victims have the right to be informed about the status and progress of the criminal proceedings (which also includes the right to obtain copies of the case file from the investigation phase itself), to be treated in a respectful and dignified manner, as well as to participate in the hearings that are convened in the course of the proceedings and to lodge appeals against the decisions made by the judge.