Holding State Violence Accountable, Fully Launched! Press Conference on Filing Comprehensive Lawsuits Regarding the March 24 Executive Yuan Bloody Suppression

In the early morning of March 24, citizens and students at the Executive Yuan were subjected to bloody suppression and forceful dispersal by police, resulting in continuous bloodshed. After displaying state violence, the authorities glossed over the matter, with Premier Chiang Yi-huah claiming it was "just a pat on the shoulder"! The Legislative Yuan established a truth-investigation task force and demanded police agencies hand over relevant materials, which was refused under the absurd pretext of non-disclosure of investigation, making it impossible to identify any of the assaulting police officers to this day. The public has gradually come to realize the violent nature of the state, and can no longer endure the police's dilatory tactics and shirking of responsibility. Today marks one full month since the bloody suppression at the Executive Yuan. Victims and pro bono lawyers will formally file private prosecutions with the court, declaring: "Holding state violence accountable, fully launched!"

1. Holding State Violence Accountable, Fully Launched:

1. To date, the pro bono legal team has been retained by over sixty citizens and students to begin holding state violence accountable, and will successively file criminal private prosecutions and national compensation lawsuits against the assaulting civil servants and the higher-ranking officials who commanded and ordered them from behind the scenes.
2. In addition to holding those who actually carried out the acts accountable, legal arguments will be further strengthened to pursue the responsibility of high-ranking civil servants—especially the on-site commander, high-ranking officials who participated in decision-making and command, and, of course, the higher-ups who issued the orders.

2. Appealing for More Victims to Step Forward, Contact Us, and Jointly Hold State Violence Accountable:

1. As quite a few citizens and students considered themselves unlucky, coupled with deliberate police harassment, some chose not to "entangle" themselves with the state any further and gave up pursuing accountability for state violence.
2. We appeal to more victims to step forward, provide relevant information, and contact us. Because when police demonstrated state violence during Ch'en Yün-lin's visit to Taiwan in 2008, no rank-and-file police officers or high-ranking officials were held accountable, which only led to the intensification of state violence! Therefore, silence regarding administrative abuse of power is an unlimited connivance of state violence!
3. Contact Information: Phone: (02)2523-1178 Email: contact@jrf.org.tw

Name	Overview of Circumstances
Yin ○○	Joined the sit-in at the back door of the Executive Yuan. When riot police were dispersing the crowd, they first grabbed Yin ○○ by the collar, lifted them off the ground, and dragged them for 1 to 2 meters. Afterwards, they used a baton to pry Yin ○○'s hands apart, and ignoring the cry of "I am injured!", used a baton to repeatedly and heavily strike the right side of Yin ○○'s head—specifically the right brain area—4 times, and kicked the left flank. Finally, they dragged Yin ○○ to the hallway. With a bloody head and a buzzing, pitch-black mind, Yin ○○ staggered to Peiping East Road, where fortunately a kind-hearted passerby took them to the nearest aid station...
Li ○○	During the police dispersal, Li ○○'s fingers were first bent and injured by police, and then dragged into the police shield formation. In addition to verbally abusing Li ○○, the police attacked with violent methods such as kicking the upper body and beating the head and hands with batons until Li ○○ lost consciousness, after which they dragged and abandoned Li ○○ among the crowd. An ambulance was later called by citizens at the scene to send Li ○○ to Jen-Ai Hospital for emergency treatment. Li ○○ suffered injuries including extensive bruising on the back, head hematoma, left hand fracture, and multiple abrasions all over the body...
Ch'en ○○	Ch'en ○○ and protesting crowds sat in rows linked arm-in-arm on the left side inside the Executive Yuan courtyard. Police first pulled Ch'en ○○ apart from the citizens on the right, and immediately two unidentified police officers lifted Ch'en ○○ up. While Ch'en ○○ offered no attack or resistance, the police subjected Ch'en ○○ to being violently struck on both legs with shields; swung at the head and face with batons; or kicked in the waist and back, while phrases such as "Beat you to death", "Motherfucker", and "See if you dare next time" were constantly uttered. As Ch'en ○○ collapsed to the ground holding the head, the defendant unidentified police officers continued to beat Ch'en ○○ until powerless and limp on the ground. The unidentified police officers shouted loudly, "Get up by yourself, or else I'll charge you with obstructing official duties," and immediately resorted to punching and kicking. When Ch'en ○○ desperately tried to get up and escape the area, an unidentified police officer kicked Ch'en ○○ in the buttocks, knocking them outside the police human wall, causing Ch'en ○○ to suffer blunt head trauma, facial abrasions and contusions, abrasions on both palms and knees, and headaches...
Huang ○○	On the way attempting to leave the protest site, while completely unarmed and offering no resistance, Huang ○○ was attacked by riot police gathered at the intersection of Peiping East Road and Linsen South Road, who held police shields, batons, and other police equipment, striking the head, abdomen, and groin of the already fallen Huang ○○, severely violating Huang ○○'s legal interest in bodily health. During the violent assault, Huang ○○ even heard with their own ears the riot police utter: "Beat him to death" (in Taiwanese Hokkien). Afterwards, two police officers carried Huang ○○ away and abandoned them at the intersection of Peiping East Road and Linsen North Road. At this time, Huang ○○'s head injury was extremely obvious, and their teeth were also fractured. Huang ○○ was assisted by a passerby to the aid station beside the Control Yuan...
Ch'en ○○	During the dispersal, Ch'en ○○ was participating in a sit-in at the Peiping East Road side back door of the Executive Yuan. As the group of police dispersed the crowd, they pulled Ch'en ○○'s body up and dragged them toward the rear direction. Police behind them took over and began lifting Ch'en ○○'s body. There were nearly 10 police officers who moved Ch'en ○○ using rough methods, attacking them with hands and feet and swinging batons amidst the chaos. Until Ch'en ○○ was carried out of the Executive Yuan compound from the Peiping East Road exit, the group of police actually threw Ch'en ○○ to the ground. Even worse, as Ch'en ○○ got up independently to leave, a police officer launched a foot attack toward Ch'en ○○'s head, kicking the eye and causing retinal edema in Ch'en ○○'s eye.

Attendees

Yin ○○ & Attorney Li Yan-jung
Li ○○ & Attorney Lin Yü-ch'eng
Ch'en ○○ & Attorney Liao Fang-hsüan
Huang ○○ & Attorney Hsü Hui-feng
Ch'en ○○ & Attorney Hung Wei-sheng
Members of Pro Bono Legal Team / Attorney Yu Po-hsiang, Attorney Tsai Wen-chieh, Attorney Yeh Shu-hung, Attorney Chiang Hsin-yu, Attorney Li Hsüan-yi, Attorney Lai Ying-chen, Attorney Tseng Wei-kai, Attorney Ch'en Wan-yü, Attorney Kao Yung-ch'eng, Attorney Ku Li-hsiung
CEO of Judicial Reform Foundation / Kao Jung-chih

Press Contacts

Attorney Kao Jung-chih 02-2523-1178