Defending Accountability in Military Fatalities: Pro Bono Legal Defense Team Statement on the Partial Victory in the Tsai Hsueh-liang State Compensation Judgment by the Taiwan High Court

Rejecting the Suicide Narrative and Demanding Criminal Inquiries: Legal Defense Team Statement on the Partial Victory in the Tsai Hsueh-liang State Compensation Judgment by the Taiwan High Court

Regarding the Taiwan High Court's judgment today (April 15) ruling in partial favor of the state compensation claim in the Tsai Hsueh-liang case, the pro bono legal defense team states as follows:

The Court Explicitly Rules Out Suicide, Proving the Ministry of National Defense's Repeated Evasion of Responsibility

Why the court determined that the rifle misfired remains unclear prior to receiving the original written judgment.

However, at least it is known that the court has explicitly ruled out that Tsai Hsueh-liang committed suicide with a T65K2 rifle in his mouth, which is clearly different from the Ministry of National Defense's repeated evasion of responsibility by alleging that Tsai Hsueh-liang "committed suicide with a T65K2 rifle in his mouth."

Since the facts found by the court differ from the facts determined by the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of National Defense should all the more take the initiative to reopen the investigation to ascertain the true cause of Tsai Hsueh-liang's death.

Criminal Justice Authorities Should Reopen the Investigation

At present, it is uncertain why the court determined that the rifle misfired, but if, according to the judgment's findings, Tsai Hsueh-liang's death was caused by personnel negligence and an accidental discharge of the firearm, the liability of the derelict personnel must also be pursued.

Since Tsai Hsueh-liang did not commit suicide, what the true cause of death was, in addition to the Ministry of National Defense reopening its investigation, should be further ascertained by criminal justice authorities.

Press Contacts

Pro Bono Legal Defense Team for the Tsai Hsueh-liang Case / Attorney Chen Cheng-chin

Judicial Reform Foundation Executive Director / Attorney Kao Jung-chih 02-2523-1178