A Seoul court has begun a habeas corpus hearing for former Korea Communications Commission(KCC) Chair Lee Jin-sook, who was arrested Thursday over allegations of violating the Public Official Election Act and the State Public Officials Act.

The Seoul Southern District Court began the hearing at 3 p.m. Saturday, after Lee requested a court review to decide whether the arrest was legal and argued that there is no risk of flight or destruction of evidence.

Appearing at the court around 2:45 p.m., Lee said the country’s free democracy was arrested along with her, questioning the president’s stated commitment to the sovereignty of the people.

The police earlier said they executed the warrant for Lee’s arrest after she failed to respond to six summonses for questioning.

Lee, on the other hand, said she had submitted a document explaining she could not attend the interrogation due to parliamentary schedules and accused the police of abusing their power.

The former head of the broadcasting watchdog is alleged to have made politically charged remarks and campaigned against the election of President Lee Jae Myung between September and October last year, and March and April this year, all before the official campaign period.

While the court is required to make a decision within 24 hours after completing the hearing, should it dismiss her request, she is expected to remain in custody for around 20 hours more.

If the court sides with the former KCC chair, she will immediately be released.

Her tenure at the commission ended Wednesday after a new government reorganization law abolished the KCC and replaced it with a different media-related entity.