Arrest of Taiwanese Ex-President

The former Taiwan president Chen Shui-bian, has been formally arrested in connection with a money-laundering case. The former president has been a strong advocate of independence from Beijing.

After eleven hours of hearings overnight, the court formally arrested Chen this morning.

[Huang Chun-ming, Taipei District Court Spokesman]:
"The prosecutor believes the defendant has infringed corruption laws by illegally taking possession of state assets, making use of his position to illegally take possession of state assets, and money laundering. The lightest sentence for each charge is 5 years. There are also concerns of manipulating evidence and conspiring with others on the special fee case. Therefore the court orders an arrest."

Chen, a 58-year-old career lawyer and president from 2000 to 2008, was detained yesterday after being questioned for most of the day.

He left a special Supreme Court prosecutor's office in handcuffs but was not charged with a crime. Chen has called the prosecution a political plot.

The former first family is suspected of sending at least $30.4 million to overseas countries.

Probes into the affairs of Chen, his family and aides, have hurt the image of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which backed Chen.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• ntd
• taiwan
• Chen
• Shui-bian
• corruption
• ex-president
• prosecution
• political
• plot

[CreativeMotion09]

hmmm... looks like the taiwanese gov't can be more corrupt than the chinese gov't lmaooo... how ironic.

[ttakako2]

Everyone in Taiwan wants Chen Shui-bian shot.

[ManjuSu]

@mamiandjohn Go say that to Bo Xilai, in my opinion; he's much more strict against corruption than Chen was.

[ManjuSu]

@Alias1983 He didn't immediately send in the army, the students had 2 months the time to leave the square but they didn't.

[lanuiiohu]

communist Chink gov't has something to do with it.

[BlahboyNYC]

Are you guys retarded? His arrest has nothing to do with China, it has to do because he took money from the people of Taiwan, but you would not understand this because 1) You are a moron 2) You don't read 3) read 1 and 2.

[Alias1983]

Yeah. The Tiananmen square massacre is a prime example. You complain about anything the Chinese Communist government did, well you would be shot. In China, it's dangerous to be right when the CCP is wrong. At least in Taiwan, the people have the freedom to criticize the government and leaders without getting killed. At least Chen was never corrupt like Deng Xiaoping was when people protested against Chen in 2006. Deng Xiaoping killed those against him in 1989. Chen didn't kill those against him.

[mamiandjohn]

in China you wont even know about it, and if you did find out, you will be shot.

[douboymk2]

in china that would get you shot

[givingheadtothedead]

Yeah Douboymk2 Taiwan government is a complete joke!