JCP Shii protests against indictment of government employee

The Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office public safety department on March 5 indicted Horikoshi Akio, who was arrested two days before by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on suspicion of violating the National Public Service Law.

Horikoshi, a 50-year-old employee of the Social Insurance Agency Meguro Office, was arrested on March 3 on a charge of distributing the Japanese Communist Party newspaper Akahata's extra door to door near his house during the general election campaign in November last year. He was turned over to the public prosecutor's office.

At a press conference on March 5, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo demanded that the prosecutor's office drop the charge against Horikoshi and said:

"The indictment is in complete disregard of growing public criticism of the unjust arrest of Horikoshi. The JCP protests against the indictment.

"The decision shows that police and the prosecution are regarding citizens' lawful activities as a crime. If such an outrage is allowed, it will be a cloud darkening Japan's society by weakening constitutional democracy. In no sense can we allow such a decision to prevail.

"The Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office decision amounts to abusing its right to prosecute. The JCP demands that such a decision be immediately canceled. We are resolved to fight to the end so that Horikoshi's innocence will be established." (end)