Taiwan Church News
3184 Edition
March 4-10, 2013
Headline News

Reported by Lin Yi-ying

Written by Lydia Ma

The PCT called a press conference on March 1 based on the theme “Respect life; Cherish democracy; Medical Parole for Chen Shui-bian” and urged the Ma administration to quickly release ailing former President Chen Shui-bian from prison and grant him medical parole so that he can get medical care. PCT General Assembly Moderator Pusin Tali said that Chen has been imprisoned for 1,000-odd days and treating any criminal in this manner is alarming from both human rights and judicial perspectives.

Commenting on Chen’s trial, Pusin Tali asked, “Why was the judge of the case suddenly changed? Was there any politically-motivated reason for this? If there was no meddling on the part of the judiciary, why was the judge appointed to hear this case suddenly changed? This runs counter to judicial propriety!” Pusin Tali pointed out that Chen has been inappropriately interrogated and sentenced many times and this is the reason why the PCT wishes to make a stand and speak on behalf of the former President.

PCT General Secretary Andrew Chang said that even former President Chiang Kai-shek had treated his political enemies better. Chang was referring to the late General Chang Hsue-liang and the late General Sun Li-jen, who were both confined to house arrest by Chiang Kai-shek. Chang added that Chen has more than 6 million supporters on his side and if something were to happen to him “accidentally”, Taiwanese society would become unimaginably polarized. For this reason, the PCT is urging that Chen be released on medical parole as a sign of respect for life and for Taiwan’s democracy.

PCT Associate General Secretary Lyim Hong-tiong said that Chen had been imprisoned, investigated, and put on 24-hour surveillance in the past five years as though he were a prisoner of war from an enemy country. From a human rights standpoint, the PCT feels that this kind of treatment is very inappropriate and reminiscent of political persecution. Lyim pointed out that even the military government in Myanmar restrained itself to confining Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest. In contrast, President Ma is behaving more like a dictator than many autocratic governments.

Lyim urged President Ma to stop his politically-motivated interventions, listen to the opinions of professional doctors, and release Chen on medical parole so that Chen can get medical attention and go home to be surrounded with family. This is the only way to help Chen recover from his illness.