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Taiwan ex-president Chen indicted on additional embezzlement charge

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Taiwan prosecutors filed a new indictment against former president Chen Shui-bian Wednesday, less than two weeks after Chen was sentenced to life in prison on other corruption charges. The new charge accuses Chen of embezzling $330,000 from funds he received to travel overseas while president. Chen denies the charge and is appealing for its dismissal. Chen, who has always maintained his innocence, now seeks to apply US law in the case against him, claiming that former colonial power Japan never transferred power over Taiwan to its current government. Earlier this month, the Taipei District Court denied Chen's request for release pending appeal. Last month, Chen filed suit against the three judges hearing his corruption case, accusing them of illegally prolonging his detention. Chen was indicted on corruption charges in December. He has staged three hunger strikes in protest of the charges against him, and in January he unsuccessfully appealed his pretrial detention. Chen has long argued that current Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou is using Chen's trial to distance himself from Chen's anti-China views.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on September 23, 2009 (boomark / email).