Accusing Presiding Judge Tsai Shou-hsun of distorting former president Chen Shui-bian’s words to extend his detention for two months, Chen’s office said yesterday it would file cases against Tsai with the Control Yuan and Taipei District Court.

Tsai quoted Chen’s conversations with his staff and visitors out of context and used the conversations against Chen, his office said in the statement, adding that it would collect evidence of the court’s “abuse of power” and file against Tsai with the Control Yuan and Taipei District Court.

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan has begun removing anti-ship barricades on its offshore island of Kinmen, the latest sign of its warming relationship with China, the semi-official Central News Agency said on Sunday.

The local government of Kinmen, also known as Quemoy, has started extracting the barricades, the Taiwan agency said, in a sign of easing political tensions between Taiwan and China.

Supporters of former president Chen Shui-bian hold placards as they protest outside Taipei District Court yesterday. PHOTO: PATRICK LIN, AFP

The Taipei District Court ruled yesterday to extend former president Chen Shui-bian’s  incarceration at the Taipei Detention Center for two more months.

“The court ruled to extend [Chen’s] detention by two months starting from July 26,” Taipei District Court spokesperson Huang Chun-ming said.

The court cited several of the reasons used in its previous detention rulings — the concern that Chen would collude with witnesses, destroy evidence or try to abscond, and because he has been charged with serious crimes that could bring him a prison term of seven years or more.