To coincide with Mother’s Day on Sunday, former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) mother yesterday launched an appeal calling for justice for her son.
Sunday will mark Chen’s 529th day in custody following accusations of and later convictions on corruption, money laundering and graft charges, while calls for his release by groups loyal to the former president and by pro-independence organizations have been growing.
Protesters unhappy with last month’s ruling by the Taiwan High Court prolonging Chen’s detention for at least another two months will launch a protest in Taipei tomorrow.
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
A number of DPP legislators are expected to take part in the protest, which organizers say could attract several hundred people, as well as members of Chen’s family, including his mother Chen Lee Shen (陳李慎), his son and two sisters.
The rally will begin on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office and then make its way to the legislature, where organizers plan a sit-in.
In a rare media interview yesterday, an emotional 82-year-old Chen Lee Shen said: “[I will] only be happy when [Chen Shui-bian] is able to say ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ to me in person.”
Several pro-independence organizations have criticized the continued detention of the former president, alleging judicial misconduct after his family last month tried to wire back an estimated NT$700 million (US$21 million) from their Swiss bank accounts in response to prosecution requests.
“Where is the justice? The entire justice system remains biased,” said Huang Shu-chun (黃淑純) of the Northern Taiwan Society.
Despite efforts to return the money, presiding judge Teng Chen-chiu (鄧振球) said last month that he believed the former president continued to be a flight risk, comments that have been staunchly denied by Chen Shui-bian’s lawyers.
Also voicing support for the ex-president’s release was the sister of Chen Wen-chen (陳文成), a Carnegie Mellon professor critical of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) government, who died under suspicious circumstances during a visit to Taiwan in 1981.
“Chen Wen-chen disappeared 29 years ago after being taken by the Taiwan Garrison Command — Chen Lee Shen also lost her son one night,” Chen Pao-yue (陳寶月) said.
“Taiwanese mothers need to stand together,” to prevent such things happening again, she said.
The former president was first detained on Nov. 12, 2008, and released on Dec. 13, 2008, following his indictment. He was detained again on Dec. 30, 2008, after the Taipei District Court approved a request by prosecutors to take him back into custody and he has remained in detention ever since.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS