Ex-president's hunger strike not to affect court's schedule
ROC Central News Agency
Taipei, Feb.21 (CNA) Former President Chen Shui-bian's hunger strike is not expected to affect a three-day pretrial session scheduled to start Feb.24 to settle technical details regarding trial of corruption and money laundering charges against him, prosecutors said Saturday.
They made the remarks after Lee Ta-chu, deputy director of the Taipei Detention Center, confirmed earlier in the day that Chen, who has been kept behind bar since Dec.30, 2008, has not eaten anything for two days.
According to Lee, Chen only drank water while declining to eat anything. He also refused to have his blood pressure and pulse measured, Lee said, adding that the detention center will pay extra attention to his situation.
Chiang Chih-ming, secretary of Chen's office, said Friday that Chen stopped eating two days ago in protest against what he called continued judicial persecution against him.
Chen, who left office in May 2008 due to term limits, has been charged with embezzling, taking bribes, money laundering, influence peddling and extortion in the case, which also implicated his family.
Chen insisted on his innocence when he appeared in the court Jan. 19 to defend himself in a pretrial hearing. At his lawyers' request, a collegial panel of judges at the Taipei District Court agreed at the time to postpone the Jan.20-21 pretrial session to Feb.24-26.
Prosecutors investigating the case said Saturday they see no reason for any further postponement of the pretrial hearings.
Even if Chen's health is not good due to his refusal to eat, prosecutors said, the court hearing can proceed with Chen's attorneys answering questions on his behalf.
Chen, who served as president between 2000 and May 2008, suffered a fresh blow Friday as the Taiwan High Court rejected his appeal to replace the presiding judge in his corruption and money laundering trial.
Chen had demanded through his lawyers the removal of judge Tsai Shou-hsun, who was ordered by the Taipei district court to take over his case last December.
Some legal experts voiced concerns over the move, particularly after Tsai reversed an earlier ruling granting Chen bail on the grounds that he could flee the island or destroy evidence.
The High Court said in a statement that it stood by the appointment.
"The district court followed relevant legal procedures in assigning the case," the high court said in a statement. (By Sofia Wu) enditem
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