Xinhua News, 2009-04-15
A Beijing journalist reports on different reactions to a court-appointed defense attorney's refusal to represent government officials facing “visiting underage prostitutes” charges in the infamous Xishui, Yunnan, child prostitution and rape case. Reactions ranged from widespread support for the lawyer's refusal from internet chat rooms and online surveys to condemnation from lawyers in Beijing and Guangzhou. The lawyers interviewed explained the law's presumption of innocence and the critical role defense attorneys play in ensuring the fair exercise of justice, as well as the blatant illegality of refusing to defend a court-appointed client. Lawyers also lamented the high number of criminal trials conducted without defense council (70%—and increasing since 1997) and many lawyers' disinclination for criminal defense work due to social pressures, including physical threats from victims' families.
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