The big news from Taiwan is the handcuffing and detention of former president Chen Shui-bian, who is being held in a money-laundering investigation. He immediately began a hunger strike and was taken to hospital after five days. Mr Chen's detention followed that of a series of top people in his administration. These arrests have prompted concern over the political neutrality of the judicial system, as well as procedures followed by the prosecutor's office, in the wake of the return to power of the Kuomintang after eight years' rule by the Democratic Progressive Party.
Twenty legal scholars from the US, Canada, Europe and Australia have published an open letter warning that Taiwan's hard-earned democracy was in jeopardy. They identified half a dozen people under detention and said that 'while one or two of the accused have been formally charged, the majority is being held incommunicado without being charged'.
Two years ago, when Mr Chen was still president, the Taipei district attorney charged Mr Chen's wife, Wu Shu-chen, with corruption over the handling of secret presidential funds. She fainted at the opening session of the trial and has since been absent from court 17 times, on the grounds of poor health.
At the time, prosecutors said they had enough evidence to indict Mr Chen but could not do so because of presidential immunity. But, on May 20, after he stepped down and was succeeded by Ma Ying-jeou, prosecutors announced that they had 'formally started the investigation of the special expenses case concerning former president Chen.'
While he was in office, prosecutors could not access certain classified documents. The new president declassified them - mostly receipts and records of the use of special expenses - and was accused by Mr Chen's lawyers of being 'politically motivated'.
The Taipei district court ordered his detention after an 11-hour hearing. Under Taiwanese law, suspects can be detained for up to four months without an indictment.
In August, Mr Chen publicly admitted misstating election finance expenses and said his wife had sent millions of dollars overseas without his knowledge. 'My conscience has told me that I cannot continue to lie to myself or to others,' he said. 'I have, in the past, committed deeds that are against the law and I am willing ... to apologise to the people.' However, the claims against him go beyond election financing. They relate to alleged money laundering, corruption and abuse of power.
