Lin Yi-fang (林一方), producer of the much-talked-about VCD entitled the Ugliness Behind the Beautiful, was abruptly taken away by Taoyuan prosecutors yesterday afternoon after he held a press conference in Taipei to show a controversial part of the VCD.
Footage of the VCD shown yesterday hinted that Taoyuan County Commissioner Chu Li-lun (朱立倫), a member of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) who is standing for re-election in next Saturday's local government elections, had affairs with several women, including his former secretary.
Lin was taken to Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office in the afternoon. But because Lin remained silent throughout two hours of questioning, prosecutors applied to the Taoyuan District Court for approval to detain Lin in an attempt to further investigate.
PHOTO: CHIEN JUNG-FENG, TAIPEI TIMES
The court had not announced a decision at press time.
No takers
Earlier this week, Lin, who is also the producer of the Special Report series of VCDs that were released in the runup to last year's presidential election that were critical of the pan-blue camp, had asked local TV news stations to broadcast the Ugliness Behind the Beautiful, but none agreed to the request.
At the press conference held at noon yesterday at Taipei's Ambassador Hotel, Lin broadcast part of the film in which five actors are seen chatting, commenting on Chu's relationships with a number of women and hinting that he had had an affair with his former secretary.
Lin said he had not defamed anyone and that the film's contents should be open to evaluation by the public.
Police out in force
More than 20 police from Taipei and Taoyuan forces were present at the press conference, videotaping the proceedings.
They did not ask Lin to stop playing the film.
However, as soon as the press conference ended, they suddenly presented an arrest warrant and seized Lin.
A spokesman for the Taoyuan County Prosecutors' Office, John Chang (
Chu last week accused Lin of violating the two laws at Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office.
Taoyuan prosecutors earlier told Lin that if he publicized the"defamatory" film, he might be breaking the law.
Questions
On Nov. 13, Taoyuan prosecutors seized VCD footage from Lin's Taipei studio, a move that was criticized by some, who questioned whether they were acting in part because of influence exerted by politicians.
Chu yesterday told reporters that the parts of the film about him were a fabrication, but that they had hurt an innocent woman.
Vice President Annette Lu (
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