Poslukh

in old Russian law, a witness “of good repute,” that is, one who was trustworthy, as distinct from a vidok (witness or eyewitness). According to the Russkaia Pravda, only freemen, as a rule, could serve as poslukhi. Later, the term was also applied to witnesses testifying to the existence of written legal documents. According to the Sudebnik (code) of 1497, a poslukh could not testify in court if he had not been an eyewitness to the events of the case.