Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) yesterday visited former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) at the Taipei Detention Center for the first time.
The two declined to comment when approached by reporters. TV footage showed dozens of Chen supporters gathered outside the detention center holding signs and shouting slogans to encourage Tsai and Su. One woman gave a bouquet of flowers to Tsai, who thanked her, and the crowd gathered around their car.
The pair’s visit followed former premier Frank Hsieh’s (謝長廷) visit to Chen at the detention center on Tuesday.
At a separate setting later yesterday, Tsai said the court’s decision to extend Chen’s detention had very little legitimacy and the judicial system lacked impartiality.
Chen has been detained since December on charges of graft, embezzlement and corruption. On Monday, the court extended his detention for another two months, saying Chen presents a high flight risk and might collude with witnesses if released.
Chen’s office said yesterday he has appealed to the High Court to overturn the ruling extending his detention.
Tsai said the purpose of her visit was to encourage Chen and to highlight the “questionable elements” of the legal system.
Tsai told reporters that Chen felt his case was full of procedural errors such as the court’s sudden decision to change judges and flaws in the way witnesses were questioned. The dubious actions taken by the court had greatly harmed his right to a fair trial, she said, promising that the DPP would scrutinize Chen’s trial more closely.
On his personal blog, Su wrote that any politically motivated efforts to persecute people relentlessly would only brew more opposition and jeopardize public security.
Such actions would detract from the court’s credibility when it announces Chen’s verdict, he said.
Su said the purpose of his visit was not only to show his support for Chen, but also to protest political bias in the legal system. He wrote that he wished Chen good health and encouraged the former president to focus on his trial so he can give the public a satisfactory explanation for the allegations. If Chen indeed committed any wrongdoings, he should offer a sincere apology, Su said.
Chen has refused to eat anything since his detention hearing more than a week ago. He has said he will not eat or drink until Sunday to show his support for the DPP’s large-scale rally that day protesting the government’s policies toward China.
Chen has been on two hunger strikes since his incarceration, but ended them after pressure from his family.
A number of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers yesterday criticized Tsai for visiting Chen.
KMT Legislator Wu Yu-sheng (吳育昇) told reporters the visit meant Tsai had “bowed to corrupt people.”
“I sincerely suggest that Chairperson Tsai hand over her position to Chen Shui-bian ... I believe people in Taiwan will look down on the DPP and Tsai [because of the visit],” Wu said.
Because of the visit, the DPP’s planned rally would be a rally in support of Chen and “a rally in support of corruption on Anti-Corruption Square [Ketagalan Boulevard],” he said.
Fellow KMT lawmakers Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) and Chiu Yi (邱毅) expressed similar opinions.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY AFP AND FLORA WANG
A Chinese aircraft carrier group entered Japan’s economic waters over the weekend, before exiting to conduct drills involving fighter jets, the Japanese Ministry of Defense said yesterday. The Liaoning aircraft carrier, two missile destroyers and one fast combat supply ship sailed about 300km southwest of Japan’s easternmost island of Minamitori on Saturday, a ministry statement said. It was the first time a Chinese aircraft carrier had entered that part of Japan’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a ministry spokesman said. “We think the Chinese military is trying to improve its operational capability and ability to conduct operations in distant areas,” the spokesman said. China’s growing
Taiwan yesterday denied Chinese allegations that its military was behind a cyberattack on a technology company in Guangzhou, after city authorities issued warrants for 20 suspects. The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau earlier yesterday issued warrants for 20 people it identified as members of the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command (ICEFCOM). The bureau alleged they were behind a May 20 cyberattack targeting the backend system of a self-service facility at the company. “ICEFCOM, under Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party, directed the illegal attack,” the warrant says. The bureau placed a bounty of 10,000 yuan (US$1,392) on each of the 20 people named in
Nine retired generals from Taiwan, Japan and the US have been invited to participate in a tabletop exercise hosted by the Taipei School of Economics and Political Science Foundation tomorrow and Wednesday that simulates a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan in 2030, the foundation said yesterday. The five retired Taiwanese generals would include retired admiral Lee Hsi-min (李喜明), joined by retired US Navy admiral Michael Mullen and former chief of staff of the Japan Self-Defense Forces general Shigeru Iwasaki, it said. The simulation aims to offer strategic insights into regional security and peace in the Taiwan Strait, it added. Foundation chair Huang Huang-hsiung
PUBLIC WARNING: The two students had been tricked into going to Hong Kong for a ‘high-paying’ job, which sent them to a scam center in Cambodia Police warned the public not to trust job advertisements touting high pay abroad following the return of two college students over the weekend who had been trafficked and forced to work at a cyberscam center in Cambodia. The two victims, surnamed Lee (李), 18, and Lin (林), 19, were interviewed by police after landing in Taiwan on Saturday. Taichung’s Chingshui Police Precinct said in a statement yesterday that the two students are good friends, and Lin had suspended her studies after seeing the ad promising good pay to work in Hong Kong. Lee’s grandfather on Thursday reported to police that Lee had sent
RSS