Absurdity of suppressing freedom -- Akahata editorial, March 5It really happened in a democracy, astounding many people because a citizen's human rights have been violated and his freedom suppressed.
The suppression was carried out by the Metropolitan Police Department Public Security Division. It arrested Mr. Horikoshi on the allegation that he had violated the National Public Service Law by distributing newspaper Akahata extras, and searched six locations including the Japanese Communist Party Chiyoda District Committee office, seizing computers and other documents.
Protesting against the unwarranted arrest and searches, the JCP severely demands a halt to investigations, a return of the seized materials, and the release of Mr. Horikoshi.
Government employees have human rights
To justify the arrest and searches with police squads, the MPD alleged that Horikoshi who works for a Social Insurance Agency office, distributed Akahata extras in violation of the law restricting government employees' political acts.
The thing is that Mr. Horikoshi distributed JCP flyers on holidays as a private citizen action which had nothing to do with his official duties as a government employee. The MPD is to blame for its "political acts" repressing justifiable political activities by shadowing Mr. Horikoshi for a long period in order to arrest him as a serious offender and carry out searches.
The Japanese Constitution guarantees every Japanese citizen "fundamental human rights" (Article 11). Article 19 states, "Freedom of thought and conscience shall not be violated." Article 21 states: "Freedom of assembly and association, as well as speech, press and all other forms of expression are guaranteed."
Government employees, as Japanese citizens, should logically be guaranteed these fundamental human rights.
In this sense, the National Public Service Law's general ban on political activities by government employees because they are not allowed to conduct "political acts" amounts to unduly restricting constitutional freedoms of thought, conscience, and association.
However, even the unjust provision of the law cannot be used to arrest Horikoshi. The provision "restricting of political activities" was established with the aim of avoiding compromising administrative fairness instead of rooting out the freedoms of thought, belief, and speech that ought to be guaranteed as basic rights.
The National Personnel Authority in its personnel code directive of January 1951 defined that the provision restricting political activities should only be applied in accordance with the degree of relevant activity and socially accepted common ideas based on individual judgments." The directive does not ban any public servant from delivering flyers as an exercise of a citizen's right on holidays. How can police regard Horikoshi as a "criminal" under the law?
This will cause greater damage to the general public
Public concerns are increasing because of the serious question: "Do police really maintain our safety?" People are concerned about a sharp drop in the rate of criminal arrests and worsening public order.
Police say it is due to a personnel shortage. However, Horikoshi's case has revealed that police are squandering manpower and money on the suppression of handbill distribution that has nothing to do with fighting crime.
How can police protect citizens while engaging in unjust and immoral activities?
By arbitrarily arresting Horikoshi, police violated the Constitution, infringed on human rights, and suppressed the freedoms of thought and belief. Horikoshi's case suggests the possibility that police are going to push ahead with unconstitutional repression of the public. No one can allow such an attempt to continue.
Let's express strong protest against the Metropolitan Police Department, in order to immediately end the unjust suppression. (end)