Financial Compensation Is Not the End; Subsequent Review and Continued Investigation Are the Key—Statement on the Ministry of National Defense Military Court's Approval of Criminal Compensation for Chiang Kuo-ch'ing

1. Following the retrial verdict acquitting Chiang Kuo-ch'ing, the military court yesterday approved a compensation award of NT$103,185,000 in this case. While the dead cannot be brought back to life, the Foundation nonetheless affirms the proactive attitude and courage to admit mistakes demonstrated by the Ministry of National Defense Military Court.
2. Financial compensation should not be the end of vindicating the Chiang Kuo-ch'ing case. Whether the military trial system should maintain the status quo and whether there is room for further review; and whether the mechanisms in the Code of Criminal Procedure to prevent torture are sufficient and should be comprehensively reviewed—these are all issues that competent authorities such as the Ministry of National Defense, the Judicial Yuan, and the Ministry of Justice must address seriously.
3. In mid-July, the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office remanded the case involving Ch'en Chao-min and other officers implicated in torture back to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office for continued investigation, which has now exceeded three months. We wish to remind the Taipei District Prosecutors Office once again that it should strictly follow the grounds for remand issued by the High Prosecutors Office, investigate whether offenses such as murder, abuse of authority causing death, and unlawful confinement causing death were committed, and provide the public with a clear and definitive account as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will inevitably incur accusations of official protectionism and complicity with wrongdoers.

Press Contact

JRF Executive Director, Attorney Lin Feng-cheng 02-2523-1178