Legal basis: provisions on legal aid in criminal proceedings Article 2 If a criminal suspect or defendant fails to entrust a defender due to financial difficulties, he or his close relatives may appeal to the public security organ handling the case; Legal aid institutions affiliated to the judicial administrative organs at the same level where the people's procuratorates and people's courts are located apply for legal aid. If the people's procuratorate protests and the criminal suspect or defendant fails to entrust a defender, they may apply for legal aid in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph. Therefore, in the process of protest trial, the defendant who has not entrusted a defender due to financial difficulties may apply for legal aid.