Three members of an association opposed to an elevated railway in Taoyuan said on Tuesday that indictments against them amounting to a possible seven years in prison were “unjust.”
On Aug. 2 last year, the Promote Subways in Taoyuan Association staged a protest in front of the Taoyuan County Government building during a visit to the area by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九). The protest was held in opposition to the construction of an elevated railway, which they said would require the reclamation of 4,000 homes and 322 hectares of farmland.
“It’s a very steep price,” the protesters said of the proposed expropriations.
Last week, prosecutors indicted association director Hsu Wei (許為), deputy-director Hsieh Hsin-man (謝新滿) and director-general Lee Chun-hui (李春輝).
The prosecutors cited Article 136 of the Criminal Code as the basis of their indictments. Article 136 states that masterminds and perpetrators of mass violence may be indicted on charges that carry a prison sentence of a minimum of one year and a maximum of seven years.
Hsieh told a press conference hosted by DPP Legislator Huang Jen-chu (黃仁杼) on Tuesday that he felt the whole scenario was a setup to arrest the protesters because the police told them a scooter parking lot could serve as the petition area and that they could “with moderation express [their] wishes to the president.”
However, police began shoving the protesters and started arresting them when the president arrived, Lee said.
“I won’t regret [protesting] even if the court finds me guilty for trying to protect the citizens of the county,” Lee said, adding that “the government is sick, because no one cares about the forced expropriation of people’s land and homes.”
Taoyuan County deputy chief Yang Ming-sheng (楊明昇) dismissed Lee’s allegation and said the members of the association were interfering with the duties of the police and that the arrests were carried out in accordance with the law.
However, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Tien Chiu-chin (田秋堇) said the incident was being used “to make an example” of the association and scare off others who might have ideas of protesting to the president.
DPP legislator-at-large nominee Wu Yi-chen (吳宜臻) said a video recording of the protest gave no indication that there was sufficient evidence to charge the three with initiating the scuffle, adding that it was inconceivable that the prosecutors were relying on Article 136.
Saying the judiciary had become a tool to oppress the public, Huang presented a large plaque that read “The Three Subway Heroes” to the three association members at their court hearing yesterday.
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
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
RSS