Chen gives up right to appeal
Written by Writer on Thursday, November 13th, 2008
Chen gives up right to appeal
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Former President Chen Shui-bian will not appeal against a politically-motivated order by the Taipei District Court to have him detained incommunicado on corruption charges, his lawyer said yesterday.
Chen decided to give up his right to challenge the detention at a higher court to protest the Kuomintang government’s “political persecution and retaliation,” said the former president’s lawyer, Cheng Wen-lung.
Chen also asked the court to release all other suspects currently detained because of their alleged involvement in his case, the lawyer said.
The court handed down the detention order at about 7 a.m. after hours of drama-filled questioning that kicked off Tuesday morning at the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office under tight security control.
The court said Chen must be taken into custody judging from the severity of his alleged crimes and the possibility of him orchestrating testimonies with other suspects.
Chen, without wearing handcuffs, was escorted to the Taipei Penitentiary in Tucheng, Taipei County, where he was locked up in a cell alone due to security concerns.
On Tuesday afternoon, he emerged from the district prosecutors’ office raising his hands high up in the air to display the handcuffs on them, as he cried out aloud his claims of political persecution.
Hundreds of supporters at the time were rallying outside the prosecutors’ office, which was barricaded and guarded by a large force of riot police.
Chen was then taken the district court for a debate with the prosecution before judges on whether he had to be detained, which he eventually lost and became Taiwan’s first-ever former president to end up in jail.
But during the debate, Chen claimed he had been beaten and injured by law enforcement officials at the district prosecutors’ office earlier.
The debate was then disrupted for about two hours late in the night when the former president had a medical checkup at the National Taiwan University Hospital.
The debate later resumed and last until 7 a.m. when the court decided in favor of the prosecution.
Handing down the decision, the court asked Chen whether he would want to notify his family of the detention, according to the United Evening News.
Chen reportedly replied briefly and calmly indicated that his address could be found in the court papers.
His lawyer later called his wife Wu Shu-chen, telling her that Chen “can’t come back,” the paper said.
The charges against Chen include stealing from his presidential expense account, money laundering, and taking bribes in a government land purchase project, during his eight years as president.
His family members, including Wu, are also suspected of involvement in money laundering.
Thursday, November 13, 2008 9:35 am TWN, The China Post news staff
