A judicial committee on Friday recommended the dismissal of a Taipei High Administrative Court judge accused of sexually harassing his female office assistant.
Judge Chen Hung-pin (陳鴻斌) abused his position to harass the assistant by touching, grabbing and forcefully kissing her, as well as by using suggestive language to lure her into a sexual relationship, the Judicial Yuan’s Judge Evaluation Committee found.
The assistant told her colleagues about Chen’s actions — starting in November 2012 — and recorded them on Facebook, judicial documents said.
The Judge Evaluation Committee at first just issued Chen a warning. However, the case gained media attention after the Judicial Reform Foundation civic organization publicized the issue, leading the committee to review the case.
It then found that: “Chen has tarnished society’s respect for a court judge’s position; his conduct was unsuited to the role of a judge.”
The committee reached its decision on Friday and forwarded the case to the Control Yuan, to have Chen impeached.
Chen, who is 60 years old and married, hugged and touched the female assistant against her will many times, and continued to sexually harass her for two years, the findings showed.
In one incident, when Chen’s wife was away, he told the female assistant: “I am free tonight,” and asked her to ride with him in a car to a riverside trail, where he said they could take a walk, holding hands.
The assistant said she acquiesced only out of fear of losing her job, according to the findings.
When Chen returned to the car, he continued with “small talk” and tried to kiss her, records show, but the assistant said she pushed him away.
“How can Chen continue to be a judge? If he presides over sexual harassment cases, how can he give proper, impartial judgement?” foundation spokesperson Kao Jung-chih (高榮志) asked, saying Chen must be removed from the bench.
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