A criminal suspect can entrust a friend to defend the public prosecution initiated by the People's Procuratorate. The Criminal Procedure Law stipulates that in addition to exercising the right of defense, criminal suspects and defendants may also entrust one or two people as defenders. Guardians, relatives and friends of criminal suspects and defendants may be entrusted as defenders.
Legal objectivity:
Article 34 of the "Criminal Procedure Law of the People's Republic of China"* * From now on, you have the right to entrust a defender; during the investigation, you can only entrust a lawyer as your defender. The defendant has the right to entrust a defender at any time. When interrogating a criminal suspect or taking compulsory measures against him for the first time, the investigative agency shall inform him of the right to entrust a defender. The People's Procuratorate shall, within three days from the date of receipt of case materials transferred for review and prosecution, inform the criminal suspect of the right to entrust a defender. The People's Court shall, within three days from the date of accepting the case, notify the defendant of the right to entrust a defender. If criminal suspects or defendants request to entrust a defender while in custody, the people's court, people's procuratorate and public security organs shall promptly convey the request.