The Ministry of National Defense (MND) yesterday said that it would not punish one of its military instructors for joining the protests against President Chen-Shui-bian (
"We never considered punishing her," said MND Spokesman and Rear Admiral Wu Chi-fang (
"There is no such law [that would require] punishment," he said.
Wu's comments came in the wake of a statement from Wang at a press conference on Thursday, in which she said that the Ministry of Education (MOE) had decided to relieve her of her teaching duties, and had asked the MND to transfer her back to a normal military unit.
Wang, a military police major, was seen on a TV news clip on Sept. 10 with family members at the protest in front of the Presidential Office.
Wang's TV appearance was spotted by the MND's Political Warfare Department, and the department's Director General Wu Ta-peng (
The article stipulates that "military personnel must remain neutral regarding political orientation."
The MOE's Department of Students' Military Training Director Wang Fu-lin (王福林) said that the ministry eventually decided the case was not so clear-cut as to warrant punishment, because Wang was not on duty when she participated in the protests -- and the law is not clear on whether military personnel must maintain neutrality at all times, including when off-duty.
The MOE had planned to ask the MND to transfer Wang Yi-chen back to a normal military unit.
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