The Judicial Reform Foundation yesterday announced plans to file lawsuits for national compensation against government leaders over the violent crackdown on demonstrators who occupied the Executive Yuan from Sunday evening to early Monday morning.
It called on people injured by the police to join the action.
“We understand that there is always a risk when demonstrators take to the streets, but it is intolerable that the government tells lies about the police using violence against demonstrators,” foundation executive director Kao Jung-chih (高榮志) told a news conference outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
“We hereby call on more people who were attacked by police during the dispersal of the protesters occupying the Executive Yuan to contact us,” the attorney said.
Kao said during the violent crackdown that began early on Monday morning, lawyers affiliated with the foundation, both at the scene and at several hospitals, assisted peaceful demonstrators who suffered varying degrees of injuries after being attacked by police.
However, in a news conference on Monday after the forced eviction of protesters, Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) said that police officers had not used violence, but merely tapped protesters on the shoulders and asked them to leave or gently moved those who would not walk away.
“So far, 42 people who were beaten by police have agreed to join us in filing lawsuits for national compensation against government officials, and we would like to urge more victims to contact us and join the action,” Kao said.
Attorney Greg Yo (尤伯祥) said that the foundation plans to file lawsuits against National Police Agency Director-General Wang Cho-chiun (王卓鈞), the premier and, possibly, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
“The truth is not complete without hearing the voices of the victims, and without the complete truth being heard, the same mistakes will be repeated,” Yu said.
Separately, the legislature’s Internal Administration Committee passed a motion to establish a task force to launch an investigation into the police’s removal of the protesters from the Executive Yuan.
The task force is to be made up of some members of the committee, along with experts and student representatives, and is to update the committee on the investigation parameters within 10 days.
The operational principles of the removal, CCTV footage and Wang and Jiang’s telephone records from Sunday are expected to be part of the investigation.
Additional reporting by Su Fang-ho
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