Criminal suspects who are minors, blind persons, deaf persons, or individuals with mental illness who have not completely lost the ability to recognize or control their own behavior, as well as individuals who may be sentenced to life imprisonment or the death penalty, are entitled to obtain designated legal aid if they have not appointed a defense lawyer;

In the investigation stage and the review and prosecution stage, if a criminal suspect is unable to appoint a defense lawyer due to financial difficulties, or in the trial stage if a foreign national defendant has not appointed a defense lawyer, they are entitled to apply for legal aid;

The beneficiary and the assigned defense lawyer shall have the right to obtain translation assistance.

Foreign nationals or stateless persons applying for legal aid in China shall submit their applications to China's legal aid institutions in accordance with the conditions and procedures stipulated in international treaties to which the foreign national's country of origin and China are both parties, in multilateral or bilateral judicial assistance treaties jointly signed, or based on the principle of reciprocity.

The Ministry of Justice of China has established a legal aid center. You can seek assistance through the following channels:

(1) Online Consultation

China Legal Services Network ( http://www.12348.gov.cn/#/homepage )

The WeChat mini program "China Legal Services Network" provides legal consultation, legal aid and other services.

(2) Hotline Consultation

12348 is a dedicated legal consultation hotline approved by the Ministry of Justice for the public, with lawyers assigned by the Justice Bureau to staff it in shifts.