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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 24 November 2020
Rights experts: Japan’s handling of Carlos Ghosn was wrong

By JAMEY KEATEN and JEF- detention, and asked the
FREY SCHAEFFER government “to take ap-
Associated Press propriate measures against
GENEVA (AP) — A panel of those responsible for the
human rights experts work- violation of his rights.”
ing with the United Nations The working group said
said Monday that former that “the appropriate rem-
Renault-Nissan boss Carlos edy would be to accord
Ghosn was wrongly de- Mr. Ghosn an enforceable
tained in Japan and has right to compensation and
urged “compensation” other reparations.”
for him from the Japanese The opinions of the working
government. group are not binding on
The Japanese government countries but aim to hold
denounced the report as them up to their own hu-
a “totally unacceptable” man rights commitments.
viewpoint that will change Among its past rulings in-
nothing in the country’s le- volved the case of Wikile-
gal process. aks founder Julian Assange,
In its opinion published Mon- who was likewise deemed
day, the Working Group on to have had his human
Arbitrary Detention found In this Sept. 29, 2020 file photo, former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn holds a press rights violated.
that Ghosn’s arrest in Japan conference at the Maronite Christian Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, north of Beirut, Lebanon. The panel, which is inde-
in late 2018 and early 2019 Associated Press pendent from the United
was “arbitrary” and called drew headlines worldwide, zilian citizenship, led Japa- pan to Lebanon while Nations, noted a string of
on Japan’s government to the opinion could weigh nese automaker Nissan for out on bail awaiting trial, allegations from Ghosn and
“take the necessary steps on minds in courtrooms in two decades, rescuing it meaning his case will not his representatives, such as
to remedy the situation of the country and beyond. It from near-bankruptcy. He go on in Japan. Interpol that he was subjected to
Mr. Ghosn without delay.” could affect, for example, was arrested in November has issued a wanted notice solitary confinement and
A determination of wheth- the possible extradition of 2018 on charges of breach but his extradition from Leb- long interrogations at day
er detention is arbitrary two Americans, Michael of trust, in misusing com- anon is unlikely. or night, and denied ac-
is based on various crite- Taylor and his son Peter, pany assets for personal The five-member working cess to court pleadings.
ria, including international whom Japanese prosecu- gain, and violating securi- group, which is made up His team claimed that
norms of justice. tors say helped the execu- ties laws in not fully disclos- of independent experts, interrogations of Ghosn
While Ghosn is no longer tive sneak out of Japan. ing his compensation. He called on Japan to ensure were aimed to extract a
in Japan, having fled in a Ghosn, a 66-year-old with denies wrongdoing. a “full and independent confession.q
dramatic operation that French, Lebanese and Bra- In December, he fled Ja- investigation” of Ghosn’s

Mexican church decries Senate’s

marijuana legalization vote

MEXICO CITY (AP) — week must still go to the would authorize a per-
Mexico’s Roman Catholic lower house of Congress son to grow up to six pot
Church on Sunday criti- for a vote. plants, and open the way
cized a vote in the Sen- It would legalize the pos- for establishing a system of
ate to legalize the posses- session of up to an ounce licensing for larger-scale
sion, cultivation and use (28 grams) of marijuana production and sale.
of small amounts of mari- by adults as long as they The Mexican Bishops
juana. did not consume it in front Council said in a state-
The bill adopted this past of children. The bill also ment Sunday that Cham-
ber of Deputies should
modify the bill “to em-
phasize health and public
safety.”
“The bill that was ap-
proved does not address
the health damages that
arise from an ever increas-
ing use of marijuana, does
not address the effects
on families due to young
people’s consumption
of drugs, and does not
contribute the to reduc-
ing and inhibiting expo-
Marijuana plants grow inside discarded shoes at a makeshift
camp outside of the Senate building in Mexico City, Thursday, sure to drugs,” the council
Nov. 19, 2020. wrote.q
Associated Press