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Lawyers form own court to fight political influence

A group of lawyers yesterday formed an organization called the "Taiwan People's Court" (台灣人民法院) with the aim of highlighting "bias" in the nation's judicial system.

"The `Taiwan People's Court' is not a regular court. It is a concept aimed at demonstrating what a court should be and how it should function so that justice can be served," said William Chen (陳達成), a lawyer and spokesman for the group.

Chen said that most of the country's prosecutors and judges harbored pan-blue sentiment and "constantly ignored certain cases or produced unfair indictments or politically motivated verdicts."

As a result, the organization plans to try sensitive cases itself and broadcast them live on TV.

"It will be like a TV court show," Chen said.

Chen said the organization is attempting to raise funds from the public to buy airtime for its shows, which it hopes will be aired twice a month.

The organization has yet to decide which TV channel to approach to broadcast its TV court shows.

Chen said that the "Taiwan People's Court" has three members who are lawyers, and is hoping to recruit retired judges, prosecutors, lawyers and law professors to serve as judges and prosecutors.

Defendants would be welcome to appear in "court" and defend themselves, Chen added.

Unlike Taiwan's regular courts, the verdict in the "Taiwan People's Court" would be rendered by a jury, which would consist of volunteers, he said.

"When justice returns it will mark the end of the `Taiwan People's Court' because there will be no need for it anymore," Chen added.
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