Chen to woo foreign media
Former Taiwanese president Chen Shui-bian and his supporters are planning to woo international media to pressure the government for his release.
Chen's office said yesterday it was arranging for Japanese media to interview the former president, who has been held at the Taipei Detention Centre since late December on corruption charges.
The Asahi newspaper 'called us yesterday and also wrote to us in a formal request for an interview with [Chen]', said Chiang Chih-ming, chief secretary of Chen's office.
He said his office would send the request to the Justice Ministry so arrangements could be made for Chen to be interviewed in detention.
But the ministry said that under regulations, Chen's office was not allowed to arrange the interview for the Japanese newspaper.
'If the Japanese media wants to interview the defendant, it must directly apply to the detention centre, which would in turn send the application to the ... Justice Ministry for final approval,' department director Hsiao Ming-yi said.
A ministry official said media interviews would usually be granted for prisoners who showed repentance.
Chen was charged in midDecember with embezzlement, accepting bribes, money laundering and other offences. He could face life imprisonment if convicted.
The latest development came after Taipei District Court on Tuesday rejected Chen's plea for release, and extended his detention period for two more months until May 25. The court rejected Chen's plea to be released, citing the possibility he could flee given the potential life sentence he faces.
It also said Chen, if freed, could use his influence to obstruct judicial proceedings. Chen has staged a hunger strike and used an interview with the Financial Times to accuse the Taiwanese government and the mainland of political persecution in a bid to attract international sympathy.
Chen later said there was no law banning him from 'chatting with reporters'.
His office also said it would appeal to the international community by arranging news interviews with Chen for overseas media.
Lin Cho-shui, a former legislator for the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party, said: '[Former] president Chen is already very well known internationally, and I doubt that an appeal to international media will have any effect.'
