Taiwan's Courts Again Fail the People With Their Double Standard

Thursday May 02, by Jerome F. Keating Ph.D.

Taiwan's courts again have failed the people when it comes to equal justice. The double standard that has been a part of the political landscape again became evident with the corruption case of Ma's former Executive Yuan secretary general Lin Yi-shih. Compare and contrast the following.

Chen Shui-bian when accused of corruption and taking bribes was jailed even before his trial; furthermore he was denied privacy to meet and plan a defense with his lawyers.

The KMT Lin Yi-shih was accused of taking bribes and jailed, but then he was found guilty not of taking bribes but "only" of using his position to intimidate and thus extort money from contractors. The courts ruled that this was a less serious crime than taking bribes and so he was released pending appeal. How so??

Added to this is that the man who gave Lin the money admitted it was a bribe but the courts said no, it was only intimidation and thus extortion.

Lin's family members that tried to even burn the obtained money and so destroy evidence were then freed of suspicion because this was officially not a bribe, but only extortion. Supposedly participating in destroying evidence in extortion allows one a get out of jail free card, whereas the same actions in bribery does not.

Lin is now out of jail, pending his appeal. Whereas in the case of Chen Shui-bian not only were family members drawn into the case but even secretaries etc.

In contrast in the case of Ma Ying-jeou, Ma's secretary was found guilty of putting money into Ma's bank account, but Ma was not? What gives again.

In the case of Diane Lee, she was found guilty of violating the law that forbids dual citizenship if one is to hold a legislative office and above; she did no jail time; and she was allowed to keep the money that was illegally made. What gives once more? Guilty but home free??

Only Chen Shui-bian is in jail and that only because the two state witnesses were either bargained with or harassed into saying that the money given him was a bribe. Koo, later admitted that it was not a bribe, but that to gain freedom from persecution in other matters, he agreed to say such for the prosecutors. What gives again?

Double standards?? Why is Chen, the only one doing jail time now, but the KMT are exempt.