Taiwan Tati Cultural and Educational Foundation

A Visit with Former President Chen Shui-bian Raises Questions on Taiwan's Double Standard of Justice

Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Former President Chen Shui-bian has been in jail for over 500 days on corruption charges while others found guilty of the same and other crimes were never jailed and walk free. Those walking free are from the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and People's First Party (PFP); Chen is from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Chen has been denied the human right of proper defense and proper lawyer client privileges. His judge was replaced when he did not give the desired verdict wanted by Chen's opponents who work for Taiwan's current president Ma Ying-jeou. Many of those associated with the President Chen's case have been jailed in an attempt to force them to fabricate, create and/or provide incriminating evidence against Chen. No one involved with the numerous other corruption cases of the KMT and PFP have been treated this way. For the moment, however, let's leave aside the double standard of justice in Taiwan. There is time enough for that later. Today I just want to describe the conditions one experiences if he/she visits former President Chen.

Inside Taiwan's Political Purgatory: Prison interview with Chen Shui-bian (Part 17 of 20)

Michael Richardson

Taipei Civil Detention Center

Former Republic of China in-exile President was interviewed for this exclusive report from the prison where he is being detained. Translation assistance by Richard Hartzell. Chen was interviewed surrounded by three guards and was kept behind bullet-proof glass and bars.

Taiwan public media must not be compromised

Taiwan News Editorial

Taiwan's hard-won public television broadcasting network now faces a grave threat of a thinly veiled direct takeover by President Ma Ying-jeou's rightist Chinese Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) government.

The autonomy of the Taiwan Public Television Service Foundation (PTSF) has been under intense pressure since Ma took office in May 2008 as KMT lawmakers have pushed to remove incumbent PTSF Board Chairman Cheng Tung-liao and PTSF General Manager Vivian Feng, who were appointed under the former Democratic Progressive Party government, before their three-year contracts expire on Dec. 31 this year.

The risks for Taiwan in a 'Ma-Hu' meeting

Taiwan News Editorial

The proposal floated in Washington last week for a meeting between Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou and People's Republic of China State Chairman Hu Jintao during the November 2011 meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leader's forum in Hawaii presents major risks for Taiwan.

During a major conference on cross-strait relations held in Washington D.C. last week, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Vice President Doug Paal suggested that U.S. President Barack Obama should invite Ma to the APEC forum slated to be held in Hawaii next November.

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