Disgraced former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian granted one month's medical parole
PUBLISHED : Monday, 05 January, 2015, 11:55am
UPDATED : Monday, 05 January, 2015, 1:31pm
Lawrence Chung in Taipei [email protected]
Former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian was jailed for corruption in late 2008. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Disgraced former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian has been granted one month's medical parole today after spending more than six years in prison for corruption during his time as the island’s leader between 2000 and 2008.
He is due to be released this afternoon, but authorities will check on his condition next month to decide whether he must return to prison to continue his sentence in future.
The one-month medical parole was granted by the Agency of Corrections under the Justice Ministry.
A 10-member panel, led by Wu Hsien-chang, director of the agency, approved his request for release because of failing health after holding a lengthy review, starting at 9 am.
Chen, who has been serving a 20-year prison sentence, was jailed in late 2008.
His health has been deteriorating for several years. Since then, he and his family have repeatedly requested his release on medical parole so that he could receive better medical care at home.
Supporters had hoped Chen would be released on December 31, when a civilian hospital team unanimously recommended that he be granted medical parole because they believed his health problems could not be properly treated in prison, according to local media reports.
“These fours days are as long as four years [to our family],” his son, Chen Chih-chung, wrote on Facebook, adding that family members had been taking it in turns to visit the jailed former president.
Chen, 64, is reported to be suffering from depression, sleep apnea, a deterioration in his mental functions and a heart complaint.
The hospital team sent its report to ministry on December 31, but the delivery was delayed in a traffic jam and arrived only a few minutes before the close of business.
Profile: rise and fall of former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian
1950
Born in an impoverished tenant farming family in Tainan County, southern Taiwan
1980
Becomes well-known for his defence in court of participants in the 1979 Kaohsiung Incident – which saw opposition politicians taking part in a pro-democracy demonstration
1994
Represents Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and is elected mayor of Taipei
1998
Defeated by Kuomintang (KMT) Ma Ying-jeou in Taipei mayoral election
2000
Wins the presidential election after beating Lien Chan of the Kuomintang party and James Soong Chu-yu of the People First Party
2008
Resigns his post as president of DPP after his party suffers clear defeat in a legislative election; later steps down after KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou defeats DPP candidate Frank Hsieh to become new president
2008
Chen is placed under restrictions over allegations of abuse of power and corruption; he is later placed in detention
2009
Sentenced to life imprisonment and fined NT$200 million after being convicted of corruption by a Taipei court
2010
Chen is sentenced to 20 years in prison and fined NT$170 million after an appeal
2013
Taipei district court suspends Chen’s latest trial hearing because he is suffering from depression, dementia and other health problems
December 9, 2014
Appeal for Chen to be formally released on medical parole is rejected by Taipei district court
December 31
The Ministry of Justice’s Agency of Corrections – in charge of the island’s prisons – says a 10-member team will verify the report of Chen’s medical parole on January 5
January 5, 2015
Chen is granted one month's medical parole
