Psycho Pass: Colorful World

15

"Yashiro, you better see this."

Choe Gu-sung plopped down on the white couch next to her, crossing his leg with the knee pointed at her. He was wearing a purple shirt, green pants and brown boots. Handing her his tablet, she saw that there were many recent videos. All of them about Abe Asuka and her husband.

"I never thought their deaths would be made public in this way," Yashiro shook her head.

Instead, she was sitting with her legs slightly apart and one hand on her thigh.

"You knew them?" he looked up at her.

"I was present during her interview and his death."

"Abe-san was well known in his neighborhood, and no one believes he killed her wife," Choe showed an image taken from a higher building, where they could see the enforcers executing the man. "They're criticizing the PSB. But many of these accounts are banned already. The reason given by the traditional media is instigation of order."

"This brings back some memories," she closed her eyes for a few seconds. "The Specimen Case, three years ago. A lot of people were talking about the murders and the bureau—especially since the culprit was never executed. He just disappeared. Some of my favorite channels were banned because of it. I never found them again."

"Touma Kouzaburou," Choe frowned and looked at his hands on his thighs. "You never knew what he was thinking—whether he was going to have a beer with you or stick a pen in your eye."

Yashiro let out a short chuckle with her mouth closed.

"You knew him too, right?" Choe turned to her.

Yashiro's smile slowly faded, and she raised an eyebrow for a second. His red and yellow eyes opened a bit, completely fixed on her, and yet she stared at the red carpet on the floor.

"Yes. I met him a couple of years before you," her voice was clear and dry.

Choe watched her with parted lips, but asked no further questions. When Yashiro finally stood up, walking towards the huge crystal that showed a jungle-like nature outside, narrowed golden eyes followed her across the room. Makishima Shougo was standing in front of the fireplace, one hand in the pocket of his light purple pants while the other held a book.

"Instigation of order... incitement of violence," she folded her arms. "When the speaker is found guilty of a crime for inciting a crowd, which then riots and commits various assaults and crimes against person and property. In my opinion, it can only be considered a crime if we deny free will and freedom of choice, and assume that if someone tells a group of people to riot, those people will then inevitably be determined to act and commit unlawful acts.

"But while it might be immoral or regrettable for those people to support a riot, this strictly belongs to the realm of personal advocacy and shouldn't be subject to criminal sanction. Of course, if that person participates in the disorder, he becomes a rioter and is liable for punishment. Moreover, if he is the head of a criminal corporation and orders the bank to be robbed, as an accomplice, he becomes a participant or even a leader."

Yashiro exchanged a glance with the golden eyes.

"Freedom of speech can't be sustained if it's not included among individual property rights," Makishima looked at the fire again. "Another area is slander and libel."

Yashiro nodded, "It's generally held that it's legitimate to restrict freedom of speech if it falsely or maliciously damages another person's reputation. I disagree."

Makishima smiled for a few seconds and raised his head a bit.

"What this law does is assert someone's right of ownership over his reputation. But no one owns his reputation, since it's a function of the subjective feelings and attitudes of other people. And since no one can possess the mind and attitude of another, no one can have a property right over his reputation. Reputation varies according to the opinions of others. Therefore, expressing oneself by attacking someone can't be an invasion of his property right, so this expression shouldn't be subject to legal restrictions or sanctions."