 ▲ 윤석열 대통령과 석동현 변호사 © 대통령실 |
윤석열 대통령 측이 20일 고위공직자범죄수사처(공수처)의 윤 대통령 외부인 접견 금지에 "윤 대통령은 국회의 일방적 탄핵소추로 권한 정지돼 있지만 탄핵심판 결과에 따라 복직 가능성이 얼마든지 열려있는 현직 대통령"이라고 우려했다.
전날 공수처는 경기 의왕시 서울구치소에 수용 중인 윤 대통령이 변호인을 제외한 사람과 접견할 수 없도록 금지 결정했다.
윤 대통령 변호인단 석동현 변호사는 이날 페이스북에 "온당하지 않다"며 "대통령은 직무·권한에 복귀할 때를 대비해 권한 중지 기간에도 시시각각 진행 중인 국내 상황을 소상히 파악하고 있어야 한다"고 했다.
그러면서 "현직 대통령을 '증거인멸 우려 있다' 여덟 글자로 신체를 구속해 구금시설에 가뒀다"며 "자기들 존재감 과시 외 관심없는 그 수사기관은 수사권을 앞세워 대통령에 대해 변호인 외 당분간 가족 기타 외부인 접견도 못하도록 금지했다고 한다. 정말 기가 차는 일"이라고 비판했다.
또 "구체적으로 제시할 근거는 없지만 노무현 전 대통령·박근혜 전 대통령이 탄핵소추돼 권한 정지됐을 당시에도 청와대에서 참모들이나 필요하면 국무위원들로부터 최소한 보고를 받고 필요한 사람을 만났을 것으로 확신한다"고 했다.
이어 "제한된 TV방송 뉴스 시청 외 아무것도 보지도 듣지도 못한다면 이는 엄연한 현직 대통령 눈·귀를 막고 있는 것"이라며 "누군가가 될 다음 대통령은 누구로부터 국정을 인수할 것인가? 직무 권한 복귀에 대비한 정보 접근 처우는 일반 형사 피의자와는 달라야 한다"고 했다.
더불어 "(헌법재판소도) 엄중한 인식을 가져야 한다"며 "대통령에 대한 현재 처우·수사와 직결된 법무장관, 서울중앙지검장에 대한 권한 직무정지 상태도 빨리 풀 수 있도록 효력정지 가처분을 즉시 검토해야 한다"고 강조했다.
아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.
President Yoon's side: "Yoon is a sitting president who is always open to reinstatement" on the ban on meetings
Attorney Seok Dong-hyeon: "The Public Prosecutor's Office is banning outsiders from meeting with people, and is blocking the eyes and ears of the current president... It's really outrageous. The treatment of information access in preparation for the restoration of official authority should be different from that of ordinary criminal suspects."
-kihong Kim reporter
On the 20th, President Yoon Seok-yeol's side expressed concern over the High-ranking Officials' Corruption Investigation Office (Public Prosecutor's Office) ban on President Yoon from meeting with outsiders, saying, "President Yoon is a sitting president whose authority has been suspended due to the National Assembly's unilateral impeachment, but there is a high possibility that he will be reinstated depending on the results of the impeachment trial."
The day before, the Public Prosecutor's Office decided to prohibit President Yoon, who is being held at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang-si, Gyeonggi-do, from meeting with anyone other than his attorney.
Attorney Seok Dong-hyun of President Yoon's legal team wrote on Facebook that day, "It is not right," and "The president must be fully aware of the ongoing domestic situation at all times during the suspension period in preparation for returning to his duties and authority."
He criticized, saying, “They physically restrained the incumbent president with the eight-character warning that ‘there is a risk of destroying evidence’ and locked him in a detention facility,” and “The investigative agency, which is only interested in showing off its presence, is said to have used its investigative power to prohibit the president from meeting with family members or other outsiders, except for the defense attorney, for the time being. This is truly outrageous.”
He also said, “There is no specific evidence to provide, but I am certain that when former Presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye were impeached and had their powers suspended, they received reports from their staff at the Blue House or, if necessary, from the State Council members and met with the necessary people.”
He continued, “If they are not allowed to see or hear anything other than limited TV broadcast news, this is clearly blocking the eyes and ears of the incumbent president,” and “Who will take over state affairs from when the next president is born? The treatment of access to information in preparation for returning to official authority should be different from that of ordinary criminal suspects.”
In addition, he emphasized, “(The Constitutional Court) must also have a serious awareness,” and “It must immediately consider issuing an injunction to suspend the effect of the suspension of the Minister of Justice and the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office, which are directly related to the current treatment and investigation of the President, so that the suspension of their duties can be lifted quickly.”
