During the investigation, only lawyers can be entrusted as defenders. The defendant has the right to entrust a defender at any time. Lawyers will have plenty of time to familiarize themselves with the case in advance, make full preparations, provide a strong defense, and the more they intervene, the more passive they become.
According to Article 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law, a criminal suspect has the right to entrust a defender from the day when he is interrogated for the first time by the investigation organ or takes compulsory measures. During the investigation, only lawyers can be entrusted as defenders.