The Grand National Party¡¯s Press Freedom Committee announced Monday that it had adopted a recommendation calling for the release of jailed newspaper owners. It said that it will secure the signatures of all GNP, United Liberal Democrat and independent lawmakers and forward these with the recommendation to the head of the Supreme Court and District Court judges.
The recommendation states that recent revelations of a plot to kill off critical media during the ongoing crisis shocked the people, and if it persists it will negatively influence the country. It went on that the arrested newspaper owners were leaders of society, who carried out their mission for the democratization of the country and the peoples¡¯ right to know.
The recommendation also noted that those jailed had cooperated with the National Tax Service and prosecution, and as there was no fear that they would destroy evidence or flee, while respecting the court¡¯s authority they should be released on bail while their trials were in progress.
Committee head Park Kwon-young said that the GNP was presenting the recommendation in a manner that did not impinge on the court¡¯s authority.
(Choi Gu-shik, qs1234@chosun.com)
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