The Ministry of Justice will ask the Taipei Prison and the Agency of Corrections to make the “most appropriate decision” on former president Chen Shui-bian’s (陳水扁) treatment in about three weeks’ time, Justice Minister Tseng Yung-fu (曾勇夫) said yesterday.
The ministry on Monday received a medical report from Taipei Veterans General Hospital, where the imprisoned former president has received treatment since September last year, and would authorize the two institutions to make a final decision on Chen’s future, Tseng told lawmakers in a plenary session yesterday.
“Chen Shui-bian is a former president, a prisoner and a patient. We will make the most appropriate decision on his treatment in accordance with the law and medical treatment based on the three identities,” he said.
However, Tseng ruled out the possibility of home care, which Chen’s private medical team and his supporters believe is the best way for the former president to be treated for various complications, saying that it is not an option under current laws.
The minister cited the hospital’s report as saying that the 62-year-old Chen, who is serving a 20-year sentence for corruption, is suffering from severe depression, sleep apnea, atypical Parkinsonism and hemorrhoids.
Premier Jiang Yi-huah (江宜樺) later rejected Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Mark Chen’s (陳唐山) claim that the legal proceedings in Chen’s case had been a “political persecution” and had been interfered with by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九).
“The Ma Ying-jeou that I know would never do something like this. And I do not believe the judges involved in Chen’s corruption cases tried to set him up,” Jiang said.
In a press release issued yesterday afternoon, Chen’s office cited the hospital’s assessment in its report as saying that the hospital recommended home care as the best treatment for Chen. It added that Chen’s lawyers would apply for medical parole and a suspended judgement because of the former president’s illness.
Chen’s attorney said yesterday that he had asked the Taipei District Court to suspend Chen’s trial on charges of illegally seizing confidential government documents, for health reasons.
The district court yesterday morning held a hearing, but Chen’s attorney, Cheng Wen-lung (鄭文龍), told the court that the former president’s health has not improved and he could not attend.
According to the Criminal Code, when a defendant is unable to attend a hearing due to ill-health, the court can suspend a trial, Cheng told the judges.
The court yesterday heard the testimony of Chou Yuan-hua (周元華), a psychiatrist in charge of Chen Shui-bian’s care at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, behind closed doors.
Cheng said Chou detailed Chen Shui-bian’s situation, including his various ailments.
According to Cheng, Chou told the judges it would be better for the former president to be looked after at home, or to stay in a hospital that has a psychiatric department close to his home.
Chen Shui-bian was indicted on a charge of violating the Classified National Security Information Protection Act (國家機密保護法) in May last year.
According to the indictment, he ordered close aides to pack and transport important documents from national security agencies, the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to his personal office in Taipei after the March presidential election in 2008, when the Democratic Progressive Party was voted out of power.
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