There is growing concern and anger in the US over the way that former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) is reportedly being treated in prison.
Representative Edward Royce, a California Republican, has written to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) appealing for Chen to be granted medical parole.
Earlier this week, Human Rights Action Center founder Jack Healy published an opinion piece in the Huffington Post, saying the Taiwanese government was “engaging in willful medical neglect” of Chen.
Shortly before that, -California Representative Dan Lungren asked the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission to intervene on Chen’s behalf.
In his letter to Ma dated yesterday, Royce — a member of the US House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus — cited “disturbing reports regarding the deterioration in the health and physical condition” of Chen.
He said that Chen is suffering from prostate cancer, acute coronary syndrome and significantly reduced blood flow to the heart.
Royce said that Chen is confined to a damp, undersized cell for nearly 24 hours a day under conditions that violate rules set for the treatment of prisoners by the UN.
“I therefore respectfully request that you grant former president Chen medical parole in order to receive adequate medical treatment and to ensure the protection of human rights and civil liberties for all,” he added.
Coen Blaauw, an official with the Washington-based Formosa Association for Public Affairs (FAPA), said: “There is a mounting chorus of indignation and anger in [US] Congress about the inhumane treatment of Chen. It is just terrible.”
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
RSS