According to Article 32 of the Criminal Procedure Law, criminal suspects and defendants, in addition to exercising their own right to defense, 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 are serving a sentence or who have been deprived or restricted of personal freedom in accordance with the law shall not serve as defenders.