The justice system has been slow in investigating pornography Web sites that allegedly contain videos of people filmed without their consent, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Mark Ho (何志偉) said yesterday.
Paid membership pornography Web sites operated by Yu Chi-hao (余啟豪) contain videos of people secretly filmed in sex acts, a man using the alias “W” told a news conference Ho held at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.
Prosecutors last month indicted Yu for contravening the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (兒童級少年性剝削防治條例) among other offenses.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
W said that he was seeking justice for a female friend who had been a victim in the case.
More than 1,000 people have had videos of them uploaded to the sites, where the names and personal information of hundreds of people have been posted, Ho said, adding that the case was Taiwan’s version of South Korea’s “Nth Room.”
In November last year, a Seoul court sentenced Cho Ju-bin to 40 years in prison for operating a criminal ring to profit from producing and selling abusive videos on the Telegram messaging service, Yonhap news agency reported.
Victims in Yu’s case are mostly women, some of whom are students or underage, Ho said.
The videos were allegedly filmed in private or public places, including restrooms at train stations, Taipei MRT stations, university dormitories, gyms and office buildings, he said, adding that an investigation last year found that the Web sites had more than 40,000 members.
“Several victims had filed judicial complaints seeking an investigation by the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, but it has been half a year and we have not seen much effort from prosecutors,” W said, adding that in December last year, Yu was detained briefly by police for questioning and was later released.
“The justice system ignored the victims all this time. It had no concern for the physical and emotional toll suffered by these victims, and the violation of their personal rights,” W said.
Yu has posted messages online saying he has obtained Hong Kong and UK citizenship, and would move abroad, W said.
“We demand Taipei prosecutors and the Ministry of Justice provide an explanation [for the slow movement] in pursuing the case, and how to safeguard victims whose privacy and personal rights have been violated,” he said.
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