Mr. Ch'en, Please "Invest" in the Judiciary Next Time!

As a legal professional, seeing Ch'en Yu-hao state in the media, "I will return to Taiwan as long as there are independent prosecutors!" and "Twenty to thirty percent of judicial officers are imperial lackeys!" fills me with immense sorrow. For a fugitive to hold such contempt for the judicial system we are working to operate is truly lamentable for the judiciary!

Ch'en Yu-hao pointed out via the media from the United States that an invisible hand was operating behind his judicial case. Frankly speaking, for an organization dedicated precisely to exposing the hidden hands behind the judiciary, the evidence presented by Ch'en Yu-hao fails to convince even us. Ch'en claimed: which criminal case in Taiwan holds three "intensive" court sessions within fifty days, and then immediately issues a warrant just because he failed to appear due to sick leave? Of course, we do not know the entire trial process of the case, and we maintain that Ch'en Yu-hao should be presumed innocent before a final court judgment is rendered. However, based on the facts he described, we believe the actions of the judicial authorities were not beyond the ordinary—holding three court sessions in fifty days cannot be considered "intensive," and defendants failing to appear for three consecutive sessions resulting in a warrant are commonplace. To claim that this case bears the traces of an operating black hand is carrying the accusation much too far!

In other words, rather than being driven by political factors, Ch'en Yu-hao's issuance of a warrant is more closely related to his repeated failure to appear in court and his prolonged stay abroad. If he wishes to clear his name, he should return and bravely face the judiciary. Unfortunately, however, we once again witness someone using "political persecution" as an excuse to harm the judiciary, and even attempting to influence it, allowing the credibility of the judiciary to be once again drowned in political rhetoric. This is deeply regrettable!

Examining Ch'en Yu-hao's logic in detail, it seems his grievance stems from the fact that the ruling authorities he previously "invested" in not only failed to "fix" his judicial case, but instead "utilized" the judiciary as a tool to "persecute" him—something he finds unacceptable. Consequently, he demands that non-"independent prosecutors" step forward, claiming otherwise the impartiality of the judiciary cannot be guaranteed.

Yet, where is the concrete evidence for Ch'en Yu-hao's accusation of judicial unfairness? Is an "independent prosecutor system" truly suited to our legal system? Will there come a day when another fugitive declares from across the sea, "As long as there is a "jury," I will return to Taiwan!"? Is our judiciary truly so worthless and destined to be manipulated?

In fact, from the Ch'en Yu-hao incident, we can see that red-cap capitalists routinely invest lavish sums in politicians during normal times, only to realize the precious value of judicial impartiality when entangled in lawsuits. Herein, we cannot help but appeal: Mr. Ch'en, please "invest" in the judiciary next time! First, we hope you will stop making statements from across the sea and harming the judiciary; second, we hope you will return to the country as soon as possible and bravely face the judiciary; and if you have indeed suffered injustices as you claim, you are welcome to bring the relevant evidence to us and join us in fighting against judicial injustice and unfairness!

※ Published in: Liberty Times