1 A private claimant is a person suffering harm who expressly declares that he or she wishes to participate in the criminal proceedings as a criminal or civil claimant.
2 The filing of a criminal complaint is regarded as being equivalent to such a declaration.
3 The declaration must be made to a criminal justice authority by the end of the preliminary proceedings at the latest.
4 If a person suffering harm has not made a declaration of his or her own volition, so the public prosecutor shall advise the person of this possibility after opening the preliminary proceedings.