China issues guidelines on legal aid volunteering

BEIJING -- China has unveiled rules concerning legal aid volunteers, specifying the application conditions for volunteering in legal services, and their rights and obligations as volunteers.

The volunteers are dedicated to providing legal advice, drafting legal documents, and offering litigation and non-litigation services in civil, administrative, and state compensation cases, among other services.

They can provide people in need with other legal assistance, including translation in foreign languages and ethnic minority languages, as well as braille translation and sign language interpretation for the disabled, according to the guidelines.

Higher-education institutions and research institutes are encouraged to engage law professors and students in volunteering legal aid, the rules said.

Justice administrative organs are asked to work with other departments involved to roll out more incentives for legal aid volunteers and provide financial support for voluntary legal services.