A controversial clause punishing lawyers in the amendment of the Criminal Procedure Law has been scrapped, and experts said that the new explanation on the law will improve its power to protect lawyers' rights.
The 250th ordinance of the draft of the new Criminal Procedure Law released online in August had led to widespread debate.
The ordinance said that defendants or their representatives who severely violate the court's order will be forced out of court and punished with detention and fines. People's courts can also ban defendants and their representatives from participating in lawsuits in court for six months to a year, which is considered by lawyers as a restriction on the right to a defense.
Hu Yunteng, deputy director of the Research Office of the Supreme People's Court at the Renmin University of China, said at a seminar that the Supreme People's Court is trying to restore the authority of the court, which will be beneficial not only to restoring court order but also to lawyers and both sides in a given case.
"The Supreme Court has changed this detail and it won't be a problem in the future. The amendment will protect lawyers' rights more than before," Hu said.
The draft was modified to fit the demands of the amended Criminal Procedure Law, which will come into effect on January 1, 2013, according to Xinhua.
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