Legal analysis: People's courts, people's procuratorates and public security organs should protect the right to defense and other litigation rights enjoyed by criminal suspects, defendants and other participants in litigation according to law. It can be seen that the defendant's right of defense in criminal cases is protected by law, and the right of defense of criminal suspects and defendants should be guaranteed at the stages of trial, prosecution and investigation. A criminal suspect or defendant may entrust one or two persons as defenders in addition to exercising the right of defense by himself. Lawyers, people's organizations, guardians, relatives and friends recommended by the unit to which the criminal suspect or defendant belongs may act as entrusted defenders to defend the defendant. Therefore, defendants and criminal suspects cannot be deprived of their right to defense, and those without defenders can defend themselves. However, if a criminal suspect or defendant may be sentenced to life imprisonment or death without entrusting a defender, the people's court, the people's procuratorate and the public security organ shall notify the legal aid institution to appoint a lawyer to defend him.
Legal basis: Article 33 of the Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC). In addition to exercising the right of defense, criminal suspects and defendants may also entrust one or two people as defenders. The following persons may be entrusted as defenders:
(1) lawyers; (2) People's organizations or personnel recommended by the units to which the criminal suspect or defendant belongs; (3) Guardians, relatives and friends of criminal suspects and defendants.
A person who has been sentenced to punishment according to law or deprived of or restricted personal freedom shall not act as a defender.
A person who has been dismissed from public office or has his lawyer's or notary's practice certificate revoked may not act as a defender, except the guardian or near relative of the criminal suspect or defendant.