Legal Basis
Article 33 of the "Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China"
In addition to exercising their own right to defense, criminal suspects and defendants One or two people may be entrusted to serve 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 are serving a sentence or who have been deprived or restricted of personal freedom in accordance with the law shall not serve as defenders.
Persons who have been dismissed from public office and whose practicing certificates of lawyers and notaries have been revoked may not serve as defenders, except for guardians or close relatives of criminal suspects or defendants.