The wife of ousted Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. chairman Carlos Ghosn has urged New York-based Human Rights Watch to draw attention to his “harsh treatment” during detention in a Japanese jail, a letter seen by Reuters showed on Sunday.
Japanese authorities have charged Ghosn with under-reporting income and aggravated breach of trust for temporarily transferring personal investment losses to Nissan in 2008.
In a nine-page letter to Kanae Doi, the rights group’s Japan director, Carole Ghosn asked it to “shine a light on the harsh treatment of my husband and the human rights-related inequities inflicted upon him by the Japanese justice system.”
Ghosn was in charge of an alliance that included Nissan Motor, Mitsubishi Motors and France’s Renault, until his November arrest and removal as chairman of the automakers sent shockwaves through the industry.
The government has denied requests to end his detention, which has run since Nov. 19. Ghosn’s lawyers have said it would probably take more than six months for his case to come to trial.
Phones went unanswered at Japan’s Foreign Ministry and the prime minister’s office as Monday is a public holiday, but Nissan said it was not in a position to comment on the workings of the judicial system, or any decision by the Tokyo prosecutors’ office.
Officials of Human Rights Watch could not be reached for comment on the letter, but its Asia director, Brad Adams, said in an editorial on Thursday that Ghosn’s case “has shone a light” on Japan’s long-overlooked “hostage” justice system.
“Ghosn has not, and should not, receive preferential treatment,” Adams wrote in the editorial, which appeared in the online edition of “The Diplomat.”
“But if Japan wants to live up to its reputation as one of the world’s most advanced democracies, it needs to modernize its criminal justice system,” he added.
“Regardless of the serious allegations against him, or the controversies surrounding his tenure at Nissan, no one should have their rights violated in this way while facing criminal charges.”
Nissan said last Friday it had filed a criminal complaint against Ghosn with Tokyo prosecutors related to the misuse of a “significant amount of the company’s funds.”
The former Nissan executive is being held in a 6.97-sq-m unheated cell and being denied daily medication, his wife said in her letter. He has lost 7kg since being detained and eats only rice and barley, she added.
Prosecutors in Japan often try to extract confessions from prisoners in detainment that could last months, Carole Ghosn said in the letter.
“For hours each day, the prosecutors interrogate him, browbeat him, lecture him and berate him, outside the presence of his attorneys, in an effort to extract a confession,” she said.
“No one should be forced to endure what my husband faces every day, particularly in a developed nation like Japan, the third largest economy in the world.”
Ghosn said he was “wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations” during a Tokyo court proceeding last week, his first public appearance since his November arrest, at which he seemed noticeably thinner.
Wife says ex-Nissan boss Ghosn suffers ‘harsh’ treatment in jail
Wife says ex-Nissan boss Ghosn suffers ‘harsh’ treatment in jail
- Carlos Ghosn was detained by the Japenese government on Nov. 19
- Carole Ghosn said her husband lost 7kg since being detained and eats only rice and barley
PIF-backed AviLease achieves revenue of $664m and 19% growth in 2025
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund-backed AviLease achieved exceptional performance and sustainable business growth during 2025, supported by the strategic expansion of its global platform.
According to its financial results for 2025, AviLease recorded total revenues of $664 million, an annual increase of 19 percent, driven by disciplined growth in its asset portfolio and strong performance in aircraft remarketing amid sustained global demand for modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Profit before tax doubled compared to the previous year, reaching $122 million. The year witnessed an expansion in AviLease’s portfolio, reaching 202 owned and managed aircraft, leased to over 50 airline companies in more than 30 countries.
The total value of the company’s assets stabilized at $9.3 billion. AviLease maintained a 100 percent fleet utilization rate, reflecting the resilience of its business model, the efficiency of its asset management, and the strength of its strategic relationships with airlines around the world.
AviLease concluded purchase agreements for aircraft from Airbus, including the A320neo family and A350F, and Boeing 737 aircraft, aiming to enhance its future asset portfolio with modern, fuel-efficient aircraft. This step will contribute to supporting future growth and meeting increasing customer demand for the latest aircraft, aligning with the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a leading global aviation hub.
AviLease strengthened its prestigious credit standing by obtaining a strong Baa2 credit ratings from Moody’s and BBB from Fitch, reflecting its financial solidity, managerial discipline, and efficiency in managing leverage. The company also successfully issued senior unsecured bonds worth $850 million last November under Regulation 144A/RegS. This issuance contributed to diversifying its funding sources and enhancing its financial flexibility.
Commenting on the results, AviLease CEO Edward O’Byrne said: “This exceptional performance reflects the quality of the company’s investment portfolio, the strength of its partnerships with airlines, and its strategic focus on responsibly deploying capital into highly sought-after, efficient, modern aircraft assets.”
He added: “As aviation markets continue to grow, AviLease is strategically positioned to continue its expansion plans and deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders, contributing to the Kingdom’s ambitions.”
Throughout 2025, AviLease continued to play a pivotal role in the Kingdom’s growing aviation sector and contributed directly to the launch and scaling of the new national carrier, Riyadh Air, by completing a sale and leaseback transaction for a Boeing 787-9 aircraft, which thereby became the first aircraft to join the airline’s fleet.
AviLease also established a strategic partnership with Hassana Investment Co. This partnership aims to provide an opportunity for local and international investors to enter the aircraft financing asset class and benefit from AviLease’s technical expertise and operational capabilities to support partnership growth and enhance performance.
Hassana Investment Co. has agreed to acquire an initial portfolio of 10 modern aircraft from AviLease.
