Agencies
PARIS/TOKYO: Carlos Ghosn’s lawyers have submitted a dossier to the United Nations’ human rights office in Geneva which showed that the former head of Renault’s rights had been violated during detention in Japan, one of his lawyers said Monday.
A team of lawyers had handed a complete dossier showing violations of fundamental rights to the high commissioner for human rights in charge of investigating arbitrary detentions, Francois Zimeray said reading from a statement.
A new lawyer of the former Nissan chairman meanwhile said he believes the auto executive’s latest request for release from a Japanese detention center on bail, his third, might succeed.
Junichiro Hironaka said Monday that Ghosn promised to accept camera surveillance as a way to monitor his activities if he is released. He has been held since his arrest on Nov. 19.
Ghosn, who says he is innocent, faces charges of falsifying financial reports and breach of trust. His latest request for bail is still pending. Two previous requests were denied.
“We have put in a request that we believe is convincing,” Hironaka told reporters at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan in Tokyo. “We must win Mr. Ghosn’s acquittal and restore trust in Japan from the international community.”
Hironaka is a star lawyer with a strong track record for winning acquittals in Japan, a country where the conviction rate is 99 percent. He has questioned the grounds for Ghosn’s arrest, calling the case “very peculiar.”
Prosecutors allege that Ghosn falsified financial reports by allegedly under-reporting his compensation by about 5 billion yen ($45 million). He is also charged with breach of trust for allegedly having had Nissan shoulder investment losses and by making payments to a Saudi businessman.
Ghosn says the compensation in question was never decided or paid, that Nissan never suffered from the investment losses and that the payments were for legitimate services.
Hironaka, whose nickname is “the razor,” contends Ghosn’s case is largely an internal Nissan company matter that was known to other executives for a decade. He says the long detentions in Japan of suspects before trial are unfair, because they mainly affect those who insist they are innocent.
Japanese prosecutors argue that suspects may tamper with evidence or flee. Ghosn earlier offered to wear an electronic tether and hire security guards, but such methods are not used in Japan for bail.
Hironaka joked that, at 73, he looked forward to testing how sharp his defense might be in this high-profile case.
“This is important for history and for society,” he said.
Separately, Ghosn’s children defended their father’s love for Japan and denounced reported comments by the Japanese automaker’s chief executive, Hiroto Saikawa.
A statement from Caroline, Nadine, Maya and Anthony Ghosn, seen Monday by The Associated Press, said Ghosn’s contribution to Japan was well-known.
“We grew up in Japan and have countless precious memories there as a family, so it is extremely disappointing that a long-trusted co-worker of my father’s would slander him by claiming falsely that my father does not love and respect Japan. Anyone who knows my father knows that is not true,” it said, without mentioning Saikawa by name.
In an interview in the Japanese weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun, Saikawa is quoted as saying the allegations against show he lacked respect for Japan and the Japanese people.
Nissan declined comment, reiterating that it is strengthening its corporate governance to prevent further misconduct.
BY DAILY STAR NEWS | LEBANON
