Lawyers find access to clients easier(2)

More lawyers have been visiting their clients since the new rules took effect, a police officer surnamed Ma from the Chaoyang detention house told the Global Times.

The new rules stipulate that lawyers only need to take their certificates and a letter from their client to the detention houses, and a meeting will be arranged within 48 hours.

Lu confirmed to the Global Times that during his two visits, no police officers escorted him to the meeting places and none appeared during the meetings to listen in.

However, the police are still allowed to sit in on meetings with clients in some cases, he noted.

"The new rules stipulate that for a small number of heinous crimes, police should be present," said Lu.

According to an anonymous female police officer from the municipal management corps of detention houses, municipal authorities will take measures to accommodate the increasing number of meetings between lawyers and clients, such as building more meeting rooms.

"We have measures to help lawyers to meet their clients, and we know there are many lawyers meeting their clients these days," she said.

Since the law has just come into force, Lu and Zhao have not had a chance to try to get documents from prosecutors yet. Other more far-reaching aspects of the broad new law, such as a ban on self incrimination, and rules that confessions from torture are illegal, have yet to be tested.