Six Out of Fourteen Defendants Deny Charges
Five Admit to Allegations
The first trial for those involved in the Western District Court riot incident was held on the 10th, during which some of the defendants fully denied the charges, claiming they exercised their right to resist.
The first trial of the 'Seobu District Court Disturbance Incident' is being held on the 10th, and lawyer Lee Ha-sang is speaking in front of the Seobu District Court in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News
The Seoul Western District Court Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Kim Woo-hyun) held the first hearing at 10 a.m. on the same day for 14 of the 63 individuals indicted for obstructing official duties and violating the Assembly and Demonstration Act related to the Western District Court incident.
They are accused of holding illegal assemblies near the Western District Court on January 18, while President Yoon Seok-yeol's pre-arrest detention hearing (warrant review) was underway, and of obstructing and assaulting police officers performing official duties. They are also charged with blocking and attacking a vehicle of the High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office (Gongu-cheo) as it was leaving the court after the warrant review (charges include special obstruction of official duties, etc.).
Among the 14 defendants, six completely denied the charges. The lawyer representing defendant Kim stated, "We acknowledge the act of forming a scrum (linking arms tightly in a group), but it did not constitute obstruction." The lawyer for defendant Lee argued, "We deny all charges of special obstruction of official duties and special confinement," adding, "The defendant was suddenly knocked down by the police while forming a scrum and was arrested in that state. This does not meet the criteria for obstruction of official duties." Other defendants denied the charges, saying, "We only knocked on the Gongu-cheo vehicle once or twice to check if there was anyone inside."
Five defendants admitted to the charges, while the remaining two stated they had not received the investigation records. The lawyer for defendant Seo said, "The defendant admits all charges and is remorseful," and added, "There was no intention to obstruct official duties. At the scene, after seeing others spray liquid on the Gongu-cheo vehicle's window and attach leaflets, the defendant moved to the rear of the vehicle to avoid involvement and accidentally joined the scrum."
Four defendants requested the court to allow them to stand trial without detention, citing health reasons and business damages caused by detention.
Lawyer Lee Ha-sang, speaking to reporters after the trial, said, "It has been confirmed that the arrest and detention of President Yoon were all illegal. It is natural for citizens to resist illegal acts by state agencies. I am confident of an acquittal," and added, "Since there is no risk of evidence tampering or flight, I requested the presiding judge to apply the principle of trial without detention."
The prosecution first indicted 63 people related to the Western District Court riot incident on the 10th of last month and has indicted a total of 78 people as of the 7th of this month. Trials for nine indicted participants will continue this afternoon. The remaining 24 will have their first trial on the 17th, and 16 on the 19th.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
