Taking the world by surprise, Carlos Ghosn issued a statement on 30 December 2019:
“I am now in Lebanon and will no longer be held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system where guilt is presumed, discrimination is rampant, and basic human rights are denied, in flagrant disregard of Japan’s legal obligations under international law and treaties it is bound to uphold. I have not fled justice – I have escaped injustice and political persecution. I can now finally communicate freely with the media, and look forward to starting next week.”
He has arrived in Beyrouth, by plane, overnight on 30 Decemeber 2019.
In France, the first political reactions were not long in coming and the French Government reacted through Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Secretary of State to the Minister of the Economy.
Au Liban, il compte rapidement exposer sa version des faits. Très vite, une conférence de presse est annoncée et elle se tiendra le 08 janvier 2020 au club de la presse de Beyrouth.