The Henan case of Zhang Xiaoyu (张小玉) and Xu Youchen (许有臣), suspected of intentional homicide, is under investigation. Their defense lawyer Chang Weiping (常玮平) applied to the Zhongzhan District Public Security Bureau of Jiaozuo, Henan, for a meeting with his clients but was denied.  Moreover, Chang was forcibly interrogated as a witness against his clients by police, which process disqualified him from representing his clients. In this letter to Henan Provincial Public Security Department, Jiaozuo Municipal Public Security Bureau, and Zhongzhan District Public Security Branch Bureau, Zhang and Xu’s lawyers—Liu Shuqing (刘书庆), Chen Taihe (陈泰和), Li Jinxing (李金星), and Liu Jinbin (刘金滨)—allege that the Zhongzhan branch bureau, which is in charge of this case, committed illegal acts during its investigation process. The lawyers assert that these acts, including the refusal to allow a lawyer to meet with his clients, continuous violations of lawyers’ rights, and forcing a lawyer to testify as a witness against his clients, constitute illegal detention and abuse of power. Furthermore, the lawyers argue that the deceased in this case was a policeman who worked at the Zhongzhan District Public Security Branch Bureau and thus the same public security branch bureau should not handle the case because of a conflict of interest. The lawyers urge public security organs to thoroughly investigate this case in accordance with the law, fully guarantee the suspects’ legal rights, fully safeguard defense lawyers’ professional rights, and ensure the case is handled fairly.

就张小玉、许有臣案件致河南省公安厅、焦作市公安局、
中站公安分局三级公安机关的律师函

发生于河南焦作的7.17张小玉、许有臣涉嫌故意杀人一案，我们接受嫌疑人家属的委托担任该案辩护人。鉴于该案案情重大，社会各界高度关注，我们希望侦查机关应当严格依照刑事诉讼法依法履行职责，充分保障犯罪嫌疑人以及辩护人的合法权利。

我们认为，办案单位中站分局在该案侦查过程中的下列违法行为应予纠正：

1、7月21日上午8:30分，张小玉的辩护人常玮平律师依法到焦作看守所要求会见张小玉，看守所告知律师会见须经办案单位批准。这一要求违反了《刑事诉讼法》第三十七条关于律师持律师事务所公函、执业证和委托书即可会见的规定。

2、7月21日下午，常玮平律师到中站公安分局了解案情，被强行要求作为证人作证，常律师依法拒绝后被采取强制措施限制离开，常玮平律师遭到变相拘禁。当日晚22时40分，办案单位中站分局又以涉嫌故意杀人为由，强制传唤讯问了常玮平律师，把其锁在铁质审讯椅上12小时无法动弹。办案单位中站分局这一做法，严重违反《刑事诉讼法》第四十六条关于“ 辩护律师对在执业活动中知悉的委托人的有关情况和信息，有权予以保密”以及《律师法》三十八条关于“律师应当保守在执业活动中知悉的国家秘密、商业秘密，不得泄露当事人的隐私。律师对在执业活动中知悉的委托人和其他人不愿泄露的情况和信息，应当予以保密”的规定。办案单位中站分局对辩护律师长时间“老虎凳”的极端违法做法，世界罕见，构成非法拘禁罪和滥用职权罪。这一丑闻，无疑严重败坏了河南公安形象。

3、7月22日，张小玉的辩护人陈泰和律师要求会见张小玉，遭到焦作市看守所拒绝；7月24日上午，张小玉的辩护人刘书庆律师到焦作市看守所要求会见，也同样被告知警察正在提审，并可能一直提审，因此不能会见。

办案单位中站分局连续侵犯犯辩护人的正当执业权利，以种种借口阻碍辩护人依法会见，在全国造成极为恶劣的影响，应立即纠正。

4、死者王军干系中站分局民警，而该案办案单位也是中站分局，侦查人员与死者均系同事关系，与本案有重大利害关系，中站分局显然不应当管辖此案。辩护人认为，焦作市公安局以及下属分局均不应当管辖此案，本案在移送外地公安机关之前的侦查行为完全是违法和无效的，应当立即停止目前的侦查行为，由河南省公安厅另行指定焦作市以外的公安机关负责本案侦查。

5、我们了解到，本案已经存在“外提”行为。我们提请侦查机关应当严格遵照相应的法律程序，不得滥用外提。尤其不得对犯罪嫌疑人刑讯逼供或者饿、冻、疲劳审讯等变相刑讯逼供。有关侦查手续、外提手续、交接记录、同步讯问录像应当依法保存完整备查。看守所内监控录像设备应当予以检查保障使用正常，以备辩护人、人民检察院、人民法院随时依法调取使用。

综上，望河南三级公安机关严格依法侦查本案，切实保障嫌疑人的诉讼权利，充分保障辩护人的执业权利，确保案件得到公正处理。

张小玉辩护人：刘书庆律师  陈泰和律师
许有臣辩护人：李金星律师  刘金滨律师
二〇一四年七月二十四日