Japanese Red Army founder Fusako Shigenobu filed an appeal Monday against the 20-year prison sentence she received for her role in the seizure of the French Embassy in The Hague in 1974 as well as two counts of violating passport laws, her lawyer said.
The Tokyo District Court said Feb. 23 that Shigenobu, 60, who was not actually present at the seizure, conspired with three members of the leftist group to take over the embassy on Sept. 13, 1974, and take the French ambassador and 10 others hostage.
They demanded the release of Yoshiaki Yamada, a Japanese Red Army member being held in France. Yamada was later released in exchange for the embassy hostages.
The court, however, did not make clear when and where the conspiracy took place.
Shigenobu has pleaded not guilty to involvement in the embassy seizure.
Prosecutors had demanded life imprisonment.
Shigenobu was arrested in Osaka in 2000 after slipping back into Japan and living under a false identity.
She announced the group's disbandment in April 2001.
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