Control Yuan member Chien Lin Hui-chun (錢林慧君) yesterday said she would halt her investigation into the forcible removal of students occupying the Executive Yuan on March 24 because her term is coming to a close, but she also criticized the National Police Agency (NPA) for its lack of help.
The Executive Yuan occupation, led by student leader Dennis Wei (魏揚) and others, was a spinoff of the Sunflower movement that occupied the Legislative Yuan’s main chamber from March 18 to April 10 to protest the government’s handling of the cross-strait service trade agreement.
Student groups petitioned the Control Yuan in April to investigate what they said was excessive use of force by police in removing protesters from the Executive Yuan. They also called for the impeachment of Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) and National Police Agency Director-General Wang Cho-chiun (王卓鈞) over the incident. Chien Lin volunteered to investigate.
She said that while it appeared the police agency’s removal of students had violated the principle of proportionality, she wanted to gather more information.
Chien Lin said she met with Ministry of the Interior Deputy Minister Chiu Chang-yueh (邱昌嶽), NPA Deputy Director-General Tsai Chun-chang (蔡俊章), Taipei City Police Department Chief Huang Sheng-yung (黃昇永), Taipei’s Zhongzheng District First Police Precinct Chief Fang Yang-ning (方仰寧) and others to clarify the situation.
All of the NPA officials she talked with said the protesters had been removed “in accordance with the law” and there was no question of illegal removal or any violations of the principle of proportionality, Chien Lin said.
However, when she asked for the video recordings of the evacuation process and the list of civilians and police officers injured during the incident, the police told her the material had been given to prosecutors who were investigating the case.
The police claimed they could not divulge information about an ongoing investigation, Chien Lin said, adding that she had requested the police provide her proof from the Taipei Prosecutors’ Office that it had the material.
Chien Lin said she received official notice from the prosecutors’ office stating they were using the material as basis for ongoing investigation and could not provide the materials for her to review.
Hher investigation had to end because of a lack of evidence, Chien Lin said. However, she said she felt the police had been evasive and unprofessional and their behavior could be improved upon.
The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) is to tighten rules for candidates running for public office, requiring them to declare that they do not hold a Chinese household registration or passport, and that they possess no other foreign citizenship. The requirement was set out in a draft amendment to the Enforcement Rules of the Public Officials Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法 ) released by the ministry on Thursday. Under the proposal, candidates would need to make the declaration when submitting their registration forms, which would be published in the official election bulletin. The move follows the removal of several elected officials who were
The Republic of China (ROC) is celebrating its 114th Double Ten National Day today, featuring military parades and a variety of performances and speeches in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei. The Taiwan Taiko Association opened the celebrations with a 100-drummer performance, including young percussionists. As per tradition, an air force Mirage 2000 fighter jet flew over the Presidential Office as a part of the performance. The Honor Guards of the ROC and its marching band also heralded in a military parade. Students from Taichung's Shin Min High School then followed with a colorful performance using floral imagery to represent Taiwan's alternate name
FOUR DESIGNATED AREAS: Notices were issued for live-fire exercises in waters south and northwest of Penghu, northeast of Keelung and west of Kaohsiung, they said The military is planning three major annual exercises across the army, navy and air force this month, with the navy’s “Hai Chiang” (海強, “Sea Strong”) drills running from today through Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said yesterday. The Hai Chiang exercise, which is to take place in waters surrounding Taiwan, would feature P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and S-70C anti-submarine helicopters, the ministry said, adding that the drills aim to bolster the nation’s offshore defensive capabilities. China has intensified military and psychological pressure against Taiwan, repeatedly sending warplanes and vessels into areas near the nation’s air defense identification zone and across
A Chinese takeover of Taiwan would severely threaten the national security of the US, Japan, the Philippines and other nations, while global economic losses could reach US$10 trillion, National Security Council Deputy Secretary-General Lin Fei-fan (林飛帆) wrote in an article published yesterday in Foreign Affairs. “The future of Taiwan is not merely a regional concern; it is a test of whether the international order can withstand the pressure of authoritarian expansionism,” Lin wrote in the article titled “Taiwan’s Plan for Peace Through Strength — How Investments in Resilience Can Deter Beijing.” Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) intent to take Taiwan by force
RSS