Free Marcel, Unrightfully Detained!

Our friend Marcel has been detained by the Japanese police unfairly and abruptly, and is being held and coerced into a confession without proper procedure or access to what would be considered basic legal rights in most western countries. On Saturday night (7/14), Marcel was accused of slapping a man who had been antagonizing Marcel and the group of friends he was with. This man and others who accompanied him had been harassing Marcel and his friends, and attempted to physically intimidate one of the girls in the group. The police detained Marcel despite testimony from others that he was innocent, and have held him in detainment (while lying about the surrounding situation in order to keep visitors from seeing him) and plan to keep him there for a minimum of 10 more days, up to 23 days. Sadly this behavior is all to common when it comes to police interaction with foreigners in Japan, and there does not seem to be many viable options to legally defend Marcel against what the Japanese police are doing in this situation.

The path of least possible resistance offered by the Tokyo Police force is to pay out a ridiculous settlement to supposed "victim" in the situation. The amount last given by his lawyer was 300,000 yen (roughly $3000), I will keep this page updated as I receive more information. Foreigners are also charged strictly by legal representatives in Japan, with charges micro managed to the half hour at rates starting at roughly $50.  As a student in Japan, the amount of money being asked would be difficult for Marcel to gather on his own, so as his friends, family, and any others who sympathize with him, I am suggesting we pool our money together to help him out of this situation. Any bit helps, lets get Marcel out of an unfair justice system and back into a free life!