Human rights lawyer Chen Chun-han (陳俊翰), who passed away on Feb. 11 at the age of 40, on Tuesday received a posthumous presidential citation from President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) for his contributions to people with disabilities and his dedication to promoting fairness in Taiwan.
Tsai, who was accompanied by president-elect William Lai (賴清德) and vice president-elect Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴), conferred the honor on a rainy morning at a public memorial service in Hsinchu City, where Chen grew up.
Tsai, after presenting the posthumous presidential citation to Chen’s father, lamented the passing of the late lawyer and human rights advocate as “a tremendous loss to Taiwanese society.”
Photo courtesy of the Democratic Progressive Party
“Chun-han’s brilliance will always stay in our hearts, and his aspirations will be entrusted to us to continue fulfilling... We will forever cherish your memory,” Tsai said.
Chen excelled academically despite having spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) since childhood, a neurodegenerative disease that limited his physical movements to the point were he could only move his eyes, mouth and one finger by the time of his death.
He had the top score in Taiwan’s bar exam in 2006 and obtained a doctorate in law from the University of Michigan in 2022.
After returning to Taiwan two years ago, he worked tirelessly to champion the rights of people with disabilities before passing away due to suspected cold-related complications.
One of his main appeals was for the National Health Insurance system to fully cover expensive SMA drugs for all people with SMA rather than provide coverage based on eligibility requirements.
Beyond proposing initiatives and participating in policy evaluations, Chen stood as a legislator-at-large candidate for the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the Jan. 13 elections.
“Now, Chun-han should be free from pain, leaving behind the wheelchair and worries, soaring in the sky,” Lai said. “He might even be a shining star, radiating the brave, resilient light that guides everyone facing adversity to move forward courageously.”
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