The wife of detained car tycoon Carlos Ghosn on Monday slammed the Japanese legal system for its “draconian” treatment of her husband.
Carole Ghosn, who married the former Nissan chairman in May 2016, said in a nine-page letter to the Japanese branch of Human Rights Watch that her husband was targeted by prosecutors to “extract a confession”.
She said prosecutors “interrogate him, browbeat him, lecture him and berate him” during his detention and urged Human Rights Watch to press the government to reform the legal system.
“No one should be forced to endure what my husband faces every day, particularly in a developed nation like Japan, the third largest economy in the world,” she said.
Ghosn, 64, was arrested on November 19 and subsequently charged him with over-stating his salary. He also faces allegations of pushing personal investment losses on to Nissan. He denies the allegations.
A judge has refused him bail because he is considered a flight risk and could tamper with evidence.
Carole Ghosn, Ghosn’s second wife, last week said the high-profile boss was suffering from a high fever and that no family members had been allowed to visit him since he was arrested.
She said he was held in a 75 square feet cell and eats mainly rice and barley. “A dim light illuminates his cell all night, making his sleep more difficult,” she added.
Reports said he looked noticeably thinner in court last week. Carole Ghosn said he had lost 7kg in two weeks and been denied access to medication.
Human Rights Watch’s Asia director Brad Adams last week said Ghosn’s arrest shone a light on Japan’s “hostage” justice system, which sees suspects held for long periods of time to coerce a confession.
“Ghosn has not, and should not, receive preferential treatment. But if Japan wants to live up to its reputation as one of the world’s most advanced democracies, it needs to modernise its criminal justice system,” he said.
Japan has a 99% conviction rate.
