Statement on the negotiation agreement on the crisis of the prosecuting lawyers who raised the question of the police investigation

In January, at the Gwangju Region Bar Association, lawyer Choi Jeong-gyu, winner of the ‘Hong Nam-soon Lawyers First Human Rights Award’, is taking a commemorative photo next to the bust of Hong Nam- soon. [사진 광주지방변호사회]

When a lawyer who worked hard for foreign workers was about to be handed over to trial, a group of lawyers expressed concern, saying: “It shows a section of the police that has concentrated power since adjusting the law of prosecutors.” .

According to the Korean Bar Association (Korea Bar Association) on the 9th, the Yeongdeungpo Police Department in Seoul recently sent lawyer Choi Jeong-gyu (43rd, 32nd Judicial Research and Training Institute) to the indictment. on charges of violating the Personal Information Protection Act. Lawyer Choi worked at the Korea Legal Aid Corporation, where the government provides legal services for the socially disadvantaged, and since 2012, he has been advocating for foreign workers and migrant women in Danwon-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi- do.

In January, he received the 1st Hong Nam-soon Lawyer Human Rights Award from the Gwangju Regional Bar Association for his contributions to the case of a reservoir fire in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do, and slavery on the farm. of Shinan salt. Attorney Choi was in danger of prosecution when defending A, a foreign worker who was arrested on charges of deliberately setting fire during the Goyang Oil Storage Fire incident in 2018.

Lawyer Choi learned of the situation where the Gyeonggi Goyang Police Station police told Mr. A to “keep lying” and “tell the truth, according to the truth” during the investigation. Consequently, a recorded video of Mr. A’s statement was secured with a request for disclosure of information. The video was released to the media and reported in May last year with the rear view and the voice of a police investigator.

In October 2018, the results of an investigation related to the fire at a reservoir at the Goyang Police Station in Gyeonggi Province were announced. The day before, the police arrested Sri Lanka A, 27 at the time, in an emergency. The photos are not directly related to the article. [연합뉴스]

The police questioned the fact that Mr. A denounced the video to the media without the consent of the investigator, and that he did not mosaic or alter his voice. A lawyer from Seocho-dong said: “The Personal Information Protection Law has to determine whether the personal information processor is violated, but I am concerned that the police did not carry out such a legal review and send it to the prosecution as an opinion of the prosecution. ” The National Human Rights Commission also determined that the police forced Mr. A to confess during the investigation of the case last May.

Lawyer Choi said: “The video recording at the police station is to monitor whether or not there is a coercive investigation of human rights violations, like this newspaper, but who would agree if we had to obtain the consent of the police officer? police when we report abroad? ” The police also sued the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor’s Office for defaming the reporter who reported the video, but the prosecution is said to have recently dismissed the accusation.

The Korean Bar Association issued a statement that day, urging the police to immediately stop retaliation against the lawyer. The Korean Bar Association said: “We express our serious concern whether the strengthening of the police authority due to the adjustment of the prosecutor’s office will lead to another violation of human rights.” Lawyer Wan-gyu Lee (59, 23rd Judicial Research and Training Institute) also said: “The police who have been guaranteed the right to terminate the investigation have been strengthened in their position to exercise the right to investigate.”

Reporter Minsang Kim [email protected]