The defense team for former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn appears to be taking a wider view of the fallen auto titan's court case and is calling in the artillery to pursue judicial reform in regard to his human rights.

In an exclusive interview with The Japan Times, former French ambassador and renowned human rights lawyer Francois Zimeray said he joined the legal team to ensure Ghosn receives a fair trial and views Ghosn's treatment under Japan's criminal defense system as problematic.

Zimeray objects to prosecutors' treatment of Ghosn as a suspect, accusing the legal system of failing to protect his client's basic human rights. Specifically, he argued the absence of lawyers during interrogation, the lack of presumption of innocence, and a prolonged detention that stretched to more than 100 days violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Japan is a party.