After his release from custody, former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) plans to be back in his office today.
In response to the court’s orders that he not travel and suggestion that he not make public statements, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Gao Jyh-peng (高志鵬) suggested that Chen should set up a blog to post his writings from his period in detention.
Gao said Chen had no blog, apart from some materials on the Ketagalan Academy Web site. Since Chen wrote a lot during his detention, Gao suggested a blog would be a suitable way for Chen to voice his thoughts.
A blog would not go against the court’s suggestion that Chen not mobilize the public over his court case, Gao said.
Gao said he had also read a book published by former National Science Council (國科會) deputy minister Hsieh Ching-jyh (謝清志) in which he discussed his own period in detention and the eventual court proceedings, which Gao said could help Chen with his own experiences.
Hsieh was held incommunicado in custody for 59 days after allegations surfaced surrounding a project to complete the Tainan Science-Based Industrial Park to reduce the impact of vibrations from the high-speed rail. He was found not guilty in July.
Gao and a number of other DPP legislators said they would meet today to discuss an appropriate time to visit Chen.
Chen was released from detention early on Saturday morning after a four-hour hearing. He was held incommunicado for 32 days without charge.
He was indicted on charges of embezzling government funds, money laundering and forgery along with 13 others, including his wife, son and daughter-in-law.
As prosecutors are seeking the “severest penalty,” legal experts say that Chen, the first former president to be indicted, could face life in prison if convicted.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
The age requirement for commercial pilots and airline transport pilots is to be lowered by two years, to 18 and 21 years respectively, to expand the pool of pilots in accordance with international standards, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications announced today. The changes are part of amendments to articles 93, 119 and 121 of the Regulations Governing Licenses and Ratings for Airmen (航空人員檢定給證管理規則). The amendments take into account age requirements for aviation personnel certification in the Convention on International Civil Aviation and EU’s aviation safety regulations, as well as the practical needs of managing aviation personnel licensing, the ministry said. The ministry
RSS