Legal basis: Criminal Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC).
Article 19 Criminal cases shall be investigated by public security organs, except as otherwise provided by law.
In the process of legal supervision of litigation activities, the people's procuratorate may file a case for investigation of illegal detention, extorting confessions by torture, illegal search and other criminal acts. Infringe on civil rights and undermine judicial justice. If a major criminal case of a functionary of a state organ under the jurisdiction of a public security organ needs to be directly accepted by a people's procuratorate, it may be placed on file for investigation upon the decision of a people's procuratorate at or above the provincial level.
Cases of private prosecution are directly accepted by the people's courts.
Article 20 The basic people's courts shall have jurisdiction over ordinary criminal cases of first instance, except those under the jurisdiction of the people's courts at higher levels according to this Law.
Article 21 The Intermediate People's Court shall have jurisdiction over the following criminal cases of first instance:
(1) Cases endangering national security and terrorist activities;
(2) Cases that may be sentenced to life imprisonment or death penalty.
Article 22 Criminal cases of first instance under the jurisdiction of the Higher People's Court are major criminal cases in the whole province (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government).
Article 23 Criminal cases of first instance under the jurisdiction of the Supreme People's Court are major national criminal cases.