A number of pro-independence organizations yesterday called on the government to release former President Chen Shui-bian (蠊漵禶) from Taipei Detention Center, where he has been held in 〝detention for 499 days.
At a press conference in Taipei yesterday, political commentator Chin Heng-wei (旄恆煒) criticized the government for Chen*s protracted detention, saying that it was based on political considerations because Chen no longer posed a flight risk.
Chen*s family on Tuesday agreed to wire NT$700 million (US$22.1 million) from their Swiss bank accounts to prosecutors in Taiwan, citing comments made by a judge that the move could enhance Chen*s chances of release when he comes up for review on April 23.
※Political interference from Chinese Nationalist Party [KMT] politicians as well as external pressure from China are the only reasons that Chen*s detention has continued indefinitely,§ Chin said.
In a statement released on Wednesday by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the party called for the courts to end Chen*s detention in the interest of ※preserving Taiwan*s democratic freedoms and ensuring the fairness of the judiciary."
Quoting DPP chairperson Tsai Ing-wen (齍褙湞), the statement said: ※The indefinite detention of the former president has had a serious impact on the international image of and public confidence in Taiwan*s legal system."
Both pro-independence organizations and the opposition party are asking the government to support a revision of the Code of Criminal Procedure (?瓿慴摜跏) that would impose limits on the length of time individuals can be held.
A joint statement released by the organizations yesterday said that any law that provides for ※indefinite periods of detention is a relic of the martial law period.§
Taiwan is to receive the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jets from the US late this month, a defense official said yesterday, after a year-long delay due to a logjam in US arms deliveries. Completing the NT$247.2 billion (US$7.69 billion) arms deal for 66 jets would make Taiwan the third nation in the world to receive factory-fresh advanced fighter jets of the same make and model, following Bahrain and Slovakia, the official said on condition of anonymity. F-16 Block 70/72 are newly manufactured F-16 jets built by Lockheed Martin to the standards of the F-16V upgrade package. Republic of China
Taiwan-Japan Travel Passes are available for use on public transit networks in the two countries, Taoyuan Metro Corp said yesterday, adding that discounts of up to 7 percent are available. Taoyuan Metro, the Taipei MRT and Japan’s Keisei Electric Railway teamed up to develop the pass. Taoyuan Metro operates the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport MRT Line, while Keisei Electric Railway offers express services between Tokyo’s Narita Airport, and the Keisei Ueno and Nippori stations in the Japanese capital, as well as between Narita and Haneda airports. The basic package comprises one one-way ticket on the Taoyuan MRT Line and one Skyliner ticket on
Starlux Airlines, Taiwan’s newest international carrier, has announced it would apply to join the Oneworld global airline alliance before the end of next year. In an investor conference on Monday, Starlux Airlines chief executive officer Glenn Chai (翟健華) said joining the alliance would help it access Taiwan. Chai said that if accepted, Starlux would work with other airlines in the alliance on flight schedules, passenger transits and frequent flyer programs. The Oneworld alliance has 13 members, including American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas, and serves more than 900 destinations in 170 territories. Joining Oneworld would also help boost
A new tropical storm formed late yesterday near Guam and is to approach closest to Taiwan on Thursday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Tropical Storm Pulasan became the 14th named storm of the year at 9:25pm yesterday, the agency said. As of 8am today, it was near Guam traveling northwest at 21kph, it said. The storm’s structure is relatively loose and conditions for strengthening are limited, WeatherRisk analyst Wu Sheng-yu (吳聖宇) said on Facebook. Its path is likely to be similar to Typhoon Bebinca, which passed north of Taiwan over Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and made landfall in Shanghai this morning, he said. However, it