Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

Judge Hong Yin-hua says Chen Shui-bian’s conviction was illegal

Michael Richardson

Judge Hong Yin-hua says Chen Shui-bian's trial was illegal

Taiwan Political Prisoner Report, Jan. 24, 2013. Su-Lin District Court Judge Hong Yin-hua, in Taipei, demonstrated personal courage and integrity by coming forward in public with criticism of the conviction of former President Chen Shui-bian in remarks published in the Liberty Times. In the Republic of China in-exile, jury trials are banned and one’s fate in court is left to a judge. Judge Hong says the selection of judges in Chen’s case was “illegal” thus Chen’s conviction was invalid.

Chen Shui-bian was convicted in 2009 for alleged corruption following a controversial trial marred by the changing of judges and other procedural irregularities. Critics of the trial claim that the prosecution of Chen was politically motivated and the outcome was planned in advance.

Teen Tibetan dies before self-immolation protest, Leaves note for the Dalai Lama’s return

Phayul.com

Jigjey Kyab in an undated photo.

DHARAMSHALA, January 24: A teenaged Tibetan was found dead with his body doused with kerosene and lighters in his hand due to suspected poisoning in Luchu region of eastern Tibet.

On January 19, the body of Jigjey Kyab, 17, soaked with kerosene and with two lighters in his hands, was recovered from a busy street in the Shigtsang Pungkor region of Luchu.

Legislator Hsu-Chung-hsin believes that China controls Ma Ying-jeou on Chen case

Michael Richardson

Taiwan Political Prisoner Report, Jan. 23, 2013. Legislator Hsu-Chung-hsin, a member of the Taiwan Solidarity Union, has spoken out in defense of imprisoned Chen Shui-bian, the former Democratic Progressive Party president of the Republic of China in-exile. Chen is serving a lengthy prison sentence for alleged corruption following a controversial trial after leaving office. Hsu granted an interview at his legislative office.

Legislator Hsu, also a law professor, sees Chen’s case as one of Chinese vs. Taiwanese: “I think President Chen, as a Taiwanese voice, must be heard in the Western world because we Taiwanese people have no international stage to show our determination, our will to be the master of our own. President is one of our former leaders and his activity was for Taiwan independence. President Ma and China would like to put him in jail to deter Taiwanese from any independence movement. That is not fair for us.”

Ma’s swelling credibility gap

Taipei Times Editorial

“How credible are President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) words?” is an oft-repeated question these days, even among members of his own Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), after Ma reportedly set his sights on another term as party chairman.

Putting aside the legal debate surrounding the Civil Organization Act (人民團體法) on whether he is even eligible to run again, Ma, from the perspective of political accountability, would be well advised to review his past rhetoric and his performance as party chairman before deciding whether a third term would be beneficial to the party or his own political track record.

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