The governing principles which lie at the core of modern criminal law are as follows:

• The principle of welfare and upholding thecommon good,

• The principle of prevention of harm toothers,

• The principle of minimal intervention: Lawshould not criminalize too much behaviour,

• The principle of social responsibility: Societyrequires a certain level of cooperation between citizens,

• The principle of proportionate response:The response of criminal law should be reasonably in proportion to the harm committed or threatened to be committed,

• The non-retroactivity principle: A personshould not be convicted or punished except in accordance with a previously declared offense,

• The thin-ice principle: Those who skateon thin ice can hardly expect to find a sign denoting the precise spot where they will fall in,

• The principle of maximum certainty: Peopleshould have sufficiently certain and clear warnings about the forbidden conducts,

• The principle of fair labelling: Offensesshould be labelled in a manner to reflect the seriousness of the law violated,

• The principle of strict construction:Ambiguities in criminal law should be construed in favour of the defendant,

• The presumption of innocence: A principleof procedural fairness that the defendant should be presumed innocent until proved guilty.