Legal basis: Article 38 of the Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC). From the date when the people's procuratorate examines and prosecutes the case, the defense lawyer may consult, extract and copy the case file. Other defenders may also consult, extract and copy the above materials with the permission of the people's court or the people's procuratorate.
Article 398 of the Criminal Law of People's Republic of China (PRC) * * * Any functionary of a state organ who intentionally or negligently divulges state secrets in violation of the provisions of the Law on Guarding State Secrets, if the circumstances are serious, shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years or criminal detention; If the circumstances are especially serious, they shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years but not more than seven years. Non-state employees who commit the crimes mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be punished as appropriate in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph. Article 8 (6) of the Law on Guarding State Secrets stipulates that state secrets include activities to safeguard national security and tracing secret matters in criminal offences.