|
US representative
urges taking stand on Chen¡¦s parole
By William Lowther / Staff reporter in WASHINGTON
A member of the US Congress is urging US Secretary of State John Kerry to ¡§take
a stance¡¨ on the treatment of former president Chen Shui-bian (³¯¤ô«ó).
¡§I believe it is the duty of the State Department, on behalf of the United
States, to address Chen¡¦s plight,¡¨ US Representative Robert Andrews said.
¡§While human rights activists have continually pointed out the deplorable
conditions present in many of Taiwan¡¦s prisons, there is reason to believe that
Chen is receiving more severe treatment than the other prisoners,¡¨ Andrews wrote
in a letter to Kerry.
Chen, serving a 20-year sentence on corruption charges, is currently receiving
treatment for heart problems, gastric distress, severe depression and vascular
dementia in Taipei Veterans General Hospital.
However, Andrews says that it is his ¡§understanding¡¨ that as soon as doctors
clear Chen, he will be returned to prison and would be ¡§subject to the same
conditions which caused his many ailments.¡¨
In July last year, Andrews submitted a medical report to the Tom Lantos Human
Rights Commission on the effects of incarceration on Chen¡¦s mental and physical
health.
¡§I think for an administration to come in and essentially jail the previous
administration is a tragedy,¡¨ US Representative Steve Chabot told a
Congressional hearing last year.
Chabot said that charges against Chen amounted to a ¡§criminalization of
politics¡¨ and compared Taiwan to a ¡§banana republic.¡¨
Formosa Association for Public Affairs president Mark Kao said that
Taiwanese-Americans were ¡§outraged¡¨ by the treatment of Chen.
¡§The chorus of proponents of medical parole for Chen continues to spread and
continues to grow,¡¨ Kao said.
Meanwhile, Chen¡¦s office yesterday said in a press release that the former
president is set to have surgery today at Taipei Veteran General Hospital to
treat hemorrhoids.
The office cited Chen¡¦s private medical team as saying that the surgery was
necessary because Chen¡¦s hemorrhoids were worsening due to lack of exercise and
treatment.
Chen fell down in his hospital room last week, the fourth time he has collapsed
since being imprisoned, prompting further concerns over his deteriorating
health.
Chen was diagnosed with a fracture in the last vertebra of his coccyx and could
sustain a concussion in a fall, the medical team said.
Additional reporting by Chris Wang
|
