 Trial starts on suppression of JCP flyers distribution A man who was indicted on charges of trespassing last December onto an apartment house complex in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, while posting Japanese Communist Party flyers, demanded in court that the judge drop the case. He made the statement in his first trial in the Tokyo District Court on May 20. The JCP flyers he distributed covered JCP activities in support of the earthquake victims in Niigata Prefecture, calls for the school class-sizes to be limited to 30 students, and improvement of medical services for babies and children. In the courtroom the man stated, "I am often asked for advice on such matters as elderly people's uneasiness regarding welfare services or mothers' concerns about their children's education, and I try to help by distributing JCP flyers." He continued, "The police arrested and detained me, and the prosecutors have indicted me in violation of the constitutional freedom of expression. The court is called upon to make a fair judgment based on the Constitution." He also said, "I was just posting the flyers in mailboxes in the corridors of the condominium. This cannot be regarded as trespassing. I was engaging in a legitimate political activity exercising the constitutional freedom of expression." His lawyer stated, "He was just trying to help residents exercise the right to know and participate in local politics. Punishing him for this act means suppressing the freedom of expression and democracy." More than 70 supporters of the accused man attended the trial. This man's arrest came immediately after a not-guilty judgment on three people who had been indicted for trespassing on a Self Defense Forces apartment complex in Tokyo to distribute flyers opposing the Iraq War. The presiding judge said, "Distributing political flyers must be guaranteed as a basic right under Article 21 of the Constitution." The prosecutors appealed to the higher court. -Akahata, May 23, 2005 |