Chinese lawyers offer coaching for when corruption busters come knocking
Zhang Dongdong has been fielding ever more requests for legal advice from jittery entrepreneurs, nervous government officials or their desperate relatives. They usually do not tell him the whole story, and sometimes say it happened “to a friend”, but most want to know the same thing: what to do when they are targeted by China’s corruption busters. “Some had received a tip-off that they were being…
Chinese lawyers are now offering advice on how to handle corruption investigations, according to Zhang Dongdong, a partner at Beijing Han Heng Law Firm. He has been receiving numerous requests from entrepreneurs, government officials, and their families who fear being targeted by China's anti-corruption authorities. Zhang explained that some individuals were approached by disciplinary inspectors, while others had received tips about an upcoming investigation.
In extreme cases, he mentioned that a bribe-taker was sentenced after initially agreeing to cooperate, only to have the authorities back out of their promise. In another case, a client died after being taken into custody, prompting the family to seek legal assistance.
Last month, Zhang began offering consulting services for "bribery and corruption crisis response." He explained that as the authorities intensify their efforts to eradicate corruption, individuals face significant criminal, financial, and professional risks. This comes as law enforcement authorities have made it easier to charge corruption suspects with criminal offenses and as President Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign continues into its second decade, resulting in a larger scope of suspicion.
According to Zhang, common reactions to a potential investigation include running and denial. Some individuals flee to other provinces or overseas, while others decide to deny the charges altogether. Lawyers can provide strategies for presenting evidence, avoiding detention, reducing sentences, and safeguarding assets. They can also help distinguish between criminal conduct and non-criminal conduct and understand how leniency operates within the judicial system.
Zhang stressed that the most valuable time to seek legal advice is before disciplinary detention, as there are limited opportunities for defense lawyers to intervene once custody begins. However, if the authorities' requests to families are found to be illegal and lawyers provide correct legal suggestions, it may prevent suspects from being framed or facing harsher sentences.
Lawyers can identify key issues that may affect sentencing, such as determining whether the alleged bribe was a legitimate social courtesy, establishing the amount of money involved, and assessing liability for individuals and their employers. Family members should also be cautious about recording searches and refusing to cooperate with illegal requests, such as making false confessions.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
