Wife says Ex-Nissan boss kept in ‘harsh detention’

The wife of former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn has said he is suffering under "harsh treatment" in a Japanese jail, where he has been detained for nearly two months.

In a nine-page letter to Kanae Doi, the rights group’s Japan director, Carole Ghosn asked it to “shine a light on the harsh treatment of my husband and the human rights-related inequities inflicted upon him by the Japanese justice system”.

Ghosn was in charge of an alliance that included Nissan Motor, Mitsubishi Motors and France’s Renault until his November arrest and removal as chairman of the automakers sent shockwaves through the industry.

The government has denied requests to end his detention, which has run since November 19. Ghosn’s lawyers have said it would probably take more than six months for his case to come to trial.

Japan’s Foreign Ministry said Ghosn’s rights were assured under the country’s laws.

His detention, which is likely to continue for months, has drawn criticism of Japan's justice system.

In Japan, interrogations can be done without a lawyer present. Suspects can be detained for up to 23 days before being formally charged. Bail is not easily granted unless a suspect admits to the charges, according to the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations.

Last week, a judge said incarcerating Ghosn was justified to prevent possible evidence-tampering and because of the risk that he might flee.

In the letter, which has been widely reported, Mrs Ghosn describes the conditions of her husband's detention.

She said he is being held in a small, unheated cell and denied daily medication. He has lost weight since his detention, she said and eats mainly rice and barley.

Last week, the 64-year-old looked visibly thinner when he appeared in court for the first time since his arrest on 19 November.

"I urge Human Rights Watch to highlight his case... to press the government to reform its draconian system of pretrial detention and interrogation," the letter said.

"No one should be forced to endure what my husband faces every day, particularly in a developed nation like Japan, the third largest economy in the world," the letter said.

Ghosn said he was “wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations” during a Tokyo court proceeding last week, his first public appearance since his November arrest.