Guideline outlaws scrutiny of prison meetings

The Ministry of Justice has issued a regulation to protect lawyers' rights to arrange meetings with clients who are serving prison sentences, the authorities said on Monday.

The regulation states that if convicts are charged with previously undisclosed crimes or offenses committed in prison, lawyers can apply to meet with them. The meetings should not be monitored by prison authorities during the period of investigation, prosecution and trial, and police officers will not be allowed to attend.

A statement released by the ministry said, "The provisions are fully in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Law and the Law of the People's Republic of China on Lawyers."