Kaohsiung prosecutors yesterday indicted People First Party Legislator Chiu Yi (邱毅) for damaging public property and will ask for an 18-month jail sentence.
Prosecutor Huang Chun-chia's (黃俊嘉) indictment said that Chiu led a group of protesters to surround the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office immediately after the results of the March 20 presidential election were released, encouraging the crowd to force their way into the compound by assaulting police and ramming them with a truck.
"Chiu, as a legislator, took advantage of his position and encouraged the public to protest violently. His behavior has seriously damaged the image of the justice system and shall be severely punished," the indictment said.
Chiu is already serving a two-year suspended sentence for violating the Election and Recall Law (
If Chiu is convicted this time, his suspension will likely be canceled and the three-month sentence added to whatever punishment he receives.
Chiu called a press conference after the prosecutors made the announcement. He claimed that the indictment was political.
"The prosecutors decided to indict me before they had really talked to any witnesses," Chiu said. "People who were there with me all knew that I didn't do whatever it was they said I did."
Chiu's remarks were rebutted by Kaohsiung District Prosecutors' Office spokesman Lin Ching-tsung (
"In addition to our evidence, Chiu's behavior was clearly caught on tape by photographers who were covering the story at the scene that night," Lin said. "Prosecutors will never indict anybody over nothing."
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS