The authir has carried out theoretical study of the current state of regulation of the rehabilitation institution in criminal proceedings of Ukraine, the immediate task of which is to protect human and civil rights and freedoms within relations between the state and an individual. Numerous appeals to the ECHR by citizens of Ukraine, who have been illegally or unjustifiably prosecuted, as well as the existence of decisions in their favor indicate on the shortcomings of this institution. The essence of the term of “rehabilitation” and its normative enshrinment in legislative acts at some historical stages of the world community development has been studied. It has been established that it was first used in medieval France to denote the pardon of a convict with the restoration of all his former rights. However, due to the development of social relations and a radical change in society’s attitude to sentencing, the concept of “rehabilitation” has become much broader than the original definition. Based on the detailed analysis of theoretical developments of leading scholars, international and legal acts, criminal procedural legislation of Ukraine, some countries of the European Union and the post-Soviet space, special attention has been focused on significant shortcomings of legal regulation of the specified area of public relations in Ukraine. The author has suggested own vision of the concept of “rehabilitation”. The author has offered to reffer it to the tasks of criminal proceedings stipulated by the provisions of the Art. 2 of the Criminal Procedura; Code of Ukraine. Besides, special attention has been paid to the fact that a rehabilitated person, in addition to compensation for damages and restoration of violated rights, must receive an official apology on behalf of the state for unjustified or illegal prosecution.