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Wardens punish Chen over hunger strike

A room similar to that used by former president Chen Shui-bian in the Taipei Detention Center is pictured earlier this month.The room does not have a bed and Chen can only sleep on the floor. PHOTO: TSAI WEI-CHI, TAIPEI TIMES

Authorities at the Taipei Detention Center yesterday defended their decision to discipline detained former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) over his hunger strike, which entered its ninth day yesterday, before Chen took nourishment.

Chen’s punishment — stripping him of his visitation privileges one time and not allowing him out of his cell three times, as well as confiscating his TV and radio — are justifiable and comply with the law, said Lee Ta-chu (李大竹), a deputy warden at the center.

Lee made the remarks in response to criticism by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) and Lee Chun-yi (李俊毅), who said the ­center mistreated the former president and violated his human rights.

In response, Lee Ta-chu said the center allowed him to meet with DPP heavyweights, including DPP Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) and former premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) on Thursday.

“The center will also return his TV and radio as soon as he begins to take food,” the warden said.

“The center will also return [Chen’s] TV and radio as soon as he begins to take food.” — Lee Ta-chu, deputy warden at Taipei Detention Center

The center late last night said Chen yesterday had started drinking some mishui (米水, liquid drawn from rice porridge). Because of this, the radio and the TV had been returned to Chen.

The warden said that the ­former president appeared to be in good shape yesterday after having some water and sports drinks, with ­normal readings for both blood pressure and pulse.

Chen has been held at the detention center in Tucheng (土城), Taipei County, since Dec. 30 on charges of corruption, money laundering and other crimes. A court ruling on Monday extended his detention for two more months until late July.

The judges said in their ruling that Chen should remain in custody to facilitate probes into the criminal charges against him. If released, the ruling said, Chen could collude with other suspects, destroy evidence or flee the country.

Chen and his wife, Wu Shu-jen (吳淑珍), are standing trial on charges of embezzling from a special presidential fund while Chen was in power, receiving bribes in connection with a government land deal and laundering part of the funds by wiring the money to Swiss bank accounts.

They were also indicted on new graft charges earlier this month. Prosecutors said they took bribes from 2002 to 2005 from local bankers, but the couple said that the funds were either political donations or money to promote Taiwanese interests overseas.

Chen has repeatedly said he is innocent and that he is being persecuted by the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) for his anti-China stance.

Many DPP politicians and some commentators have pushed for an end to Chen’s detention, arguing that the court has extended Chen’s detention without justification.

DPP Spokesman Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) said earlier this week that continued detention was unjustifiable and unnecessary.

The reasons for continuing to hold him in custody were absurd and a flagrant violation of Chen’s human rights, Cheng said.
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