Chen Shui-bian, Prison, and
the Human Rights Choice Facing Taiwan
Jack
Healey, Founder, Human Rights Action Center
By the end of the year, Taiwan's
first (and to date, only) opposition president will have been held in detention or prison for seven years.
In the case of Chen Shui-bian and being tried under an
administration of the only party allowed in Taiwan
until the recent past, there have been allegations of what might
be charitably called "judicial irregularity," an unquestionable polar
politicization of the prosecution that has fallen broadly along party lines of
Taiwan's Blue v. Green divide, and we have certainly found that the past has
seen the systemic denial of complete and adequate medical care, sufficient to
make some of his conditions worsen considerably or be made permanent and the
creation of new conditions. We once again call on the release of the former
president through medical parole, a compassionate pardon, or a graduated
release program and call on it to happen as quickly as is feasible for the sake
of the future of a Taiwan where democracy and human rights both flourish in
full bloom rather than flicker in darkness.
On the question of medical support and care, there is no
question at all. When anyone is taken into custody by the State, it is the
obligation of the State to provide full and complete care of that person for
the duration of detention. In Chen's case, while there have been notable
improvements in such care, there were initial periods of surprisingly rushed
and inadequate care in spite of repeated calls made both within Taiwan and by
the international community for such care to be granted. In short, there are
concerns about the objectivity of the judiciary and there is clear violation of
standards with regard to some of Chen's care in at least the first few years of
his detention. Chen himself has become resolute that he won't be kept on the
edge of survival and has announced his intention to limit medical attempts to
revive him if he is allowed to become more gravely ill without any real relief
and the current medical advice is to remove him from the prison environment and
permit him to return home.
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