Legal basis: Article 32 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;
(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.