Legal basis: Article 33 of the "Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China". In addition to exercising their right to defense, criminal suspects and defendants may also entrust one or two people as defenders. The following people can be entrusted as defenders:
(1) Lawyers;
(2) People recommended by people’s organizations or the unit where the criminal suspect or defendant works;
< p>(3) Guardians, relatives and friends of criminal suspects and defendants.Persons who have been sentenced to a penalty or deprived or restricted of personal freedom in accordance with the law may not serve as defenders. Persons who have been dismissed from public office or whose practicing certificates as lawyers or notaries have been revoked may not serve as defenders, except for guardians or close relatives of criminal suspects or defendants.