US Senator Sherrod Brown is urging the administration of US President Barack Obama to become involved in the case of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁).
Brown has sent a plea for help to US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell.
US representatives Robert Andrews and Dan Lungren last week sent a report calling for medical parole for Chen to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
The report, prepared by a team of independent US doctors who visited Chen in prison last month, says that Chen’s health is deteriorating steadily.
Now Brown has sent the report to Campbell asking him to give it “careful consideration.”
“Earlier this year, the people of Taiwan held national elections,” Brown said in a letter to Campbell.
“As advocates for human rights, freedom, democracy and the rule of law around the world, it is critical that we continue to support Taiwan as it builds a society based on the ideals of freedom we hold so dear,” Brown said.
Commenting on the matter, Formosan Association for Public Affairs president Mark Kao (高龍榮) said: “There is a growing chorus of congressional concern about the deterioration of Chen’s physical and mental health.”
“Senator Brown is one of the strongest and longest Taiwan supporters on Capitol Hill,” he said.
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