Two members of an independent human rights team arrived in Taipei to review the human rights case of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and visit him at Taoyuan General Hospital yesterday.
Human right activists Hans Wahl and Harreld Dinkins visited Chen at the hospital accompanied by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Kuan Bi-Ling (管碧玲) and Mark Chen (陳唐山). Leading the group of visitors — though not visiting Chen Shui-bian — is Jack Healey, the director of Washington-based Human Rights Action Center.
Wahl told reporters they were assessing Chen Shui-bian’s state of health and the conditions of his imprisonment, including his prison routine, the size of his cell, his opportunity to exercise and whether he had a bed to sleep on.
Photo: Lee Jung-ping, Taipei Times
Wahl said government authorities would likely improve Chen Shui-bian’s jail conditions, adding that the group’s efforts were purely concerned with his human rights and that politics played no role in their actions.
Wahl said universal human rights standards should remain constant, even for those who are incarcerated.
Meanwhile, the hospital said that the Chen Shui-bian had a new Foley catheter fitted late on Sunday as he again had difficulty urinating. The hospital also arranged for Chen Shui-bian to undergo a spinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test yesterday.
The hospital told a press conference in the afternoon that Chen Shui-bian should be transferred to a major medical center for further check-ups and treatment.
The hospital said it could treat the former president’s urination problems, but because the hospital does not have latest equipment for neurology and psychiatry, he ought to be transferred to a major medical center.
The hospital said a 4mm-by-4mm trace of cerebral vascular trauma was found in his right frontal lobe on Friday, indicating the former president had had a minor stroke.
Chen Shui-bian, who is serving a 17-and-a-half-year sentence for corruption, was sent to Taoyuan General Hospital on Wednesday night after complaining of pain when urinating and was admitted for extensive examinations.
His family has said that according to doctors, people who have had a thrombotic stroke have a high chance of relapse within two or three years.
Meanwhile, the DPP caucus accused the Ministry of Justice as well as Taipei Prison of malfeasance and reiterated its appeal for Chen Shui-bian to receive “complete and professional medical treatment.”
All 40 DPP legislators signed a statement which demanded Chen Shui-bian be allowed to remain in the hospital until it is proved that his life is not in danger and also called for medical parole to be granted.
Without medical expertise, the ministry and Taipei Prison cannot guarantee that Chen Shui-bian will not suffer another stroke, DPP caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) told a press conference.
Even more intolerable is that while the prison allowed the former president to go on guarded visits to hospitals, it has always rushed the treatment process and prevented him from receiving complete physical examinations, Ker said.
“The prison always sends prison officials — not physicians — to make assessments and public announcements about Chen Shui-bian’s health,” Ker added.
The caucus also demanded that three medical experts chosen by Chen Shui-bian’s family — Mackay Memorial Hospital psychiatrist Chen Chiao-chi (陳喬琪), Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital’s vice superintendent Chen Shun-sheng (陳順勝) and National Cheng Kung University Hospital’s physician Lin Hsin-nan (林信男) — be allowed to join the ministry’s medical team.
DPP Legislator Pan Men-an (潘孟安) called for President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) to “put his personal hatred for Chen aside” and respect Chen’s medical and judicial human rights.
“Even if an inmate is scheduled to be executed tomorrow, you still have to ensure his health today if he is ill,” DPP Legislator Yeh Yi-jin (葉宜津) added.
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
The Taiwan Experience Education Program (TEEP) has funded short-term internships in Taiwan for more than 4,500 young people from more than 40 countries since 2015, with the goal of attracting and retaining international talent, the Ministry of Education said yesterday. Fifty-five colleges launched 514 projects this year, including in fields such as semiconductors, artificial intelligence, medicine and biotechnology, green energy, and sustainability, it said. The program provides research and practical internships in Taiwan for two to six months, and offers cultural exchange and networking opportunities, the ministry said. For example, National Formosa University’s Embedded System and Autopilot Laboratory developed two solar-powered drones in
GLOBAL: Although Matsu has limited capacity for large numbers of domestic tourists, it would be a great high-end destination for international travelers, an official said Lienchiang County’s (Matsu) unique landscape and Cold War history give it great potential to be marketed as a destination for international travelers, Tourism Administration Director General Chen Yu-hsiu (陳玉秀) said at the weekend. Tourism officials traveled to the outlying island for the Matsu Biennial, an art festival that started on Friday to celebrate Matsu’s culture, history and landscape. Travelers to Matsu, which lies about 190km northwest of Taipei, must fly or take the state-run New Taima passenger ship. However, flights are often canceled during fog season from April to June. Chen spoke about her vision to promote Matsu as a tourist attraction in
Taipei resident Mu Chu-hua caught some glimpses of China’s mighty military parade on YouTube on Wednesday. As she watched hypersonic missiles roll down Beijing’s Changan Avenue and troops march in lockstep, she did not feel like they posed a threat to Taiwan. Mu, a 69-year-old retiree, said she saw the parade as simply a way for Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) to “say thank you to the troops.” “I thought it was quite normal,” she said. “It was very cool.” China’s military parade commemorating the end of World War II was being watched internationally for insights into Beijing’s military advances and its show
RSS