Japan Press Weekly

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2010 July 14 - 20 [CIVIL RIGHTS]

JCP supporter arrested for putting up election poster

Early on the morning of July 9, the man, a JCP supporters’ association member, put up posters on a traffic light pole and a road sign pole in preparation for a street campaign as a part of the JCP Upper House election campaign. A plainclothes policeman, after making sure his posting task was completed, came up to him and accused him of violating the election law, and called for three police cars and many other policemen. When the man tried to take down the posters, they told him, “Don’t take them down,” and forced him to get in the car and arrested him.

The man was sent to prosecutors on July 10 and decided to be detained for 10 days on the next day.

The Kobe Nishi Police claim that his act is in violation of the election law which prohibits election campaigners from putting up posters on public establishments maintained by the national or local governments.

A task force in protest against the incident, set up by the JCP and the People’s Aid and Relief Society, claims that the man was only trying to temporarily stick posters on the poles so that they would not be blown away by wind during the street action. Pointing out that the plainclothes officer waited until the man finished posting the posters, the task force criticized the police for standing idly by while a “crime” was allegedly being committed when their duty is to help prevent crimes.

The arrested man’s lawyers filed a request to the Kobe Summary Court demanding that it temporarily release him so that he can attend his brother’s funeral, who died on July 15. However, the request was turned down.

On July 18, about 180 supporters held a rally in front of the Kobe Nishi Police office calling for his immediate release.
- Akahata, July 17, 18, and 19, 2010