Legal aid advances rights of suspects

Legal aid working offices have been set up in all detention houses and courts across the country to offer free legal services to suspects and defendants in a bid to protect their legal rights, a senior official from the Ministry of Justice said.

At least one lawyer is designated to be stationed at these offices.

"Under the mechanism, lawyers will offer free timely legal services to suspects and defendants involved in criminal cases during the entirety of judicial proceedings, including during police interrogations and court sentencings," Lin Xi, deputy director of the ministry's legal aid department, told China Daily.