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Released prisoner arrests climb to 26

A total of 26 of the prisoners recently released under a sentence commutation statute had been charged with crimes as of Monday evening, according to statistics released by the National Police Agency (NPA).

Fourteen were arrested for violating the Narcotic Drugs Hazard Control Act (毒品防治條例), six were arrested for burglary or theft and two were charged with endangering public safety.

crime

The most shocking crime so far was the murder of a National Taiwan University associate professor allegedly by a drug offender freed under the amnesty, NPA officials said.

Hsieh Huann-jui (謝煥儒), a 55-year-old expert in forest diseases, plant diseases, bacteria classification, ecology and biological diversity, sustained head injuries when he was allegedly attacked by Yang Chen-tang (楊振堂) on Monday while Hsieh was cycling through a riverside park in western Taipei.

Hsieh later died at hospital. Yang has been detained pending further investigations.

Commenting on the case yesterday, Deputy Minister of Justice Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) said both he and Minister of Justice Morley Shih (施茂林) were shocked and saddened by the news.

"Minister Shih immediately ordered the formation of an emergency response task force on Monday evening and asked the Taipei Prosecutors Office to get to the bottom of the case and bring the perpetrator to justice," Lee told a press conference.

condolences

The emergency response task force has sent a representative to extend condolences to Yang's family and offer to assist in handling the aftermath, Lee said. He said the ministry will discuss with relevant government agencies and service institutions how to strengthen the tracking of inmates freed under the commutation program and how to assist them.

A total of 9,597 inmates were released on the first day of the amnesty. Drug offenders and burglars formed the bulk of the first group of inmates released.

Lee yesterday defended the ministry, saying that it only released prisoners convicted on charges of illegal drug possession and did not release prisoners convicted on charges of drug sales and transportation.

The ministry yesterday has requested the Executive Yuan to appropriate a fund of NT$100 million (US$3 million) to help drug addicts released under the amnesty to attend a free methadone program, he said.

Methadone is designed to treat narcotic withdrawal, reducing dependence on drugs such as heroin.

According to NPA tallies, crimes committed by commutation beneficiaries have occurred in nearly all major cities and counties around the country.

visits

NPA officials said police personnel have stepped up visits to newly freed prisoners, blocked channels for thieves to sell stolen articles, and intensified spot inspections of hangouts frequented by former inmates.

Narcotic drugs hazard prevention and control centers in major cities and counties around the country have been directed to keep close tabs on the behavior of former drug offenders released under the program and assist them in receiving rehabilitation treatment, finding jobs and dealing with emergencies, the officials said.

More than 25,600 prisoners will benefit from the commutation statute, which was passed to mark the 20th anniversary of the end of 38 years of martial law in Taiwan.
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