China's Ministry of Justice ensures that equity and the rule of law are being exercised and upheld in the country. (Photo : commons.wikimedia.org)
Legislators and political advisers revealed during the 12th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference some issues that hamper lawyers in their dialogues with their clients.
They have pointed out that there is an immense need to improve detention center facilities. As well, suspects should be provided with better protection during their period of custody.
According to Shi Jie, an adviser from Sichuan Province, the Chinese government's effort to emphasize the importance of rule of law has led the authorities in focusing on improvements in court facilities and on residents' personal and property rights.
However, he also pointed out how the condition of detention centers and the suspects' level of protections have been neglected by the Chinese leadership as it geared toward implementing judicial reforms.
Shi cited the out-of-date facilities in a number of detention centers in Sichuan. As in the case of a center in Chengdu, the province's capital, he said that the "space where lawyers can meet suspects is limited."
"The 12 rooms have to accommodate more than 80 attorneys every day, and the tables and chairs are shabby," the lawyer enthused, adding that a legal practitioner himself, he had a taste of the long queues outside the center because of the room shortage issue.
"There are no heaters or fans in the rooms, which is not good when lawyers are talking to suspects. A good environment for meetings is a necessity to ensure justice," he further stressed.
Moreover, Shi remarked how "the center has reduced the length of meetings, often to 30 minutes, because of the small amount of space and large number of appointments."
"It is not long enough for us to obtain basic information from clients, let alone give them better representation," he explained.
Meanwhile, a deputy of the National People's Congress, Cai Xue'en, suggested that rural detention centers should be equipped with dedicated rooms where lawyers can meet clients and take a break in between. Cai is a lawyer serving in the Hubei Province.
Another NPC deputy, Chen Shy from the Guangdong Province, pointed out how the glass screens between lawyers and clients contravene the Criminal Procedure Law.
Chen also raised the need for more training for the custody officers, especially those assigned in rural areas. The deputy has also called on the legislators to push forward a detention center-regulating law that was proposed few years ago.
