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Chen Shui-bian to leave prison for
hospital visit: MOJ
By Rich Chang and Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff Reporters, with CNA
Former first lady Wu Shu-jen on
Thursday urged judicial authorities to grant former president Chen Shui-bian a
release from prison for medical treatment after visiting Chen at Taipei Prison.
Photo: Taipei Times
The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) last night
announced that former president Chen Shui-bian (³¯¤ô«ó) would be able to leave
Taipei Prison for medical treatment as soon as a hospital visit could be
arranged.
The announcement came as Minister of Justice Tseng Yung-fu (´¿«i¤Ò) defended the
prison¡¦s handling of Chen health earlier in the day and a day after former first
lady Wu Shu-jen (§d²Q¬Ã) asked the prison to send her husband to a hospital not
affiliated with the prison for a checkup
The ministry said taking into consideration the views of physicians, Chen would
be granted temporary leave for a hospital visit, during which he would be
escorted by prison guards and police.
A hospital visit would be arranged at the earliest this coming week, the
ministry said.
Earlier in the day Tseng said Chen has had three health examinations and the
results of stool tests were found to be normal, except for problems associated
with influenza and constipation.
The Taipei Prison would continue to monitor Chen¡¦s health and have doctors
conduct a more detailed examination, he said.
However, he rejected the idea that Chen might be transferred to another prison
in southern Taiwan as requested by Chen¡¦s family, who live in Greater Kaohsiung,
saying that by law, prison transfers are not granted to inmates whose cases are
still on the court docket.
After visiting Chen on Thursday, Wu said her husband looked very tired and had a
swollen stomach. She said he should be given a comprehensive checkup in light of
a family history of liver cancer.
She also threatened to mobilize Chen¡¦s supporters in southern Taiwan to stage a
protest in Taipei if the prison fails to accede to her request.
Meanwhile, former vice president Annette Lu (§f¨q½¬) visited Chen yesterday and
afterwards told reporters that he looked ¡§very sick, with a dark complexion and
a skinny body.¡¨
According to Lu, Chen also had difficulty walking and that his hand felt ¡§as
cold as ice¡¨ when they shook hands.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) spokesman Lo Chih-cheng (ùP¬F) yesterday urged
Taipei Prison to consider allowing Chen to have medical treatment outside the
prison on ¡§humanitarian grounds¡¨ and because of Chen¡¦s status as a former
president.
Former premier Frank Hsieh (Áªø§Ê), another member of the DPP, wrote on his
Facebook page that ¡§no political considerations should be involved¡¨ when
authorities are dealing with the matter.
Hsieh warned that if a delay in action leads to a ¡§life-threatening¡¨ situation
for the former president, it would be ¡§tantamount to murder,¡¨ which could deepen
social confrontation.
Chen is serving a 17-and-a-half year prison term for corruption.
This story has been updated since first published.
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