Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Tainan City Councilor Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) yesterday proclaimed his innocence during a hearing ahead of his trial on charges of assaulting a Chinese official.
Wang is charged with inciting supporters to use violence against Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) Vice Chairman Zhang Mingqing (張銘清) during his visit to Taiwan last October.
Wang told the Tainan District Court that prosecutors had ignored evidence in his favor and made false accusations against him and other defendants.
The right to protest is one of the precious rights in a democracy and holding a rally is legal and should not be punishable by law, Wang said in the court.
“I was claiming Taiwan is not a part of China during Zhang’s visit to the country, and that was aimed at protecting Taiwan’s interests,” Wang said.
Wang asked the court to summon Zhang during the hearing and said he believed the court would clear his reputation.
Six other people were indicted along with Wang and also claimed their innocence during the hearing.
Defendant Lin Chin-hsun (林進勳) told the court he had received years of anti-Communist education in school and in society. As Chang did not offer an apology for his country’s exports of toxic milk powder to Taiwan, and as he had in the past threatened to attack Taiwan with military force, Lin said he had a right to protest against a communist.
Ho Kuei-hua (何桂花), 70, who was indicted for trying to attack Zhang by hitting his car with a crutch, said she was taught to fight communists and attack China throughout her life.
Therefore when she heard people shouting that the “communists are coming,” she automatically hit Zhang’s car with her crutch.
Wang was indicted on charges of intimidation and assault, with prosecutors asking for a 14-month jail sentence.
Zhang encountered protests from Wang and several pro-independence supporters during a private visit to Tainan’s Confucius Temple. In the melee, Zhang fell to the ground and was slightly injured.
Prosecutors said video footage from the scene proved that Wang pushed Zhang causing him to fall. They also allege the actions of Wang and his supporters damaged Taiwan’s image.
Prosecutors also said that Lin, who jumped on the roof of Zhang’s car, should receive an eight-month sentence; while Tu Yung-nan (杜永南), Tseng Chao-chi (曾朝枝), Wu Ping-chin (伍平進) and Wang Chen-juei (王貞瑞) should be given six months each for trying to block Zhang’s car by standing in front of it.
Prosecutors asked for a six-month sentence for Ho.
The six were indicted on charges of intimidation, interference and for “overthrowing” democratic values.
More than 100 of Wang’s supporters appeared in front of the district court yesterday.
They shouted “Taiwan go, Taiwan go,” and “No guilt for protest. No guilt for democracy.”
Director of the DPP’s Tainan branch Chen Chin-yi (陳進益), DPP Tainan City Councilor Lee Wen-cheng (李文正) and others also turned up to show support for Wang.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and