Post-trial Press Conference on the First-Instance Verdict of the March 23 Executive Yuan Occupation Case – Post-Press Release

Today marks the first-instance verdict of the March 23 Executive Yuan occupation case from three years ago. Aside from the charge of trespassing, which the Executive Yuan withdrew on its own, charges such as inciting others to commit crimes and aggravated theft were all acquitted. However, charges regarding obstruction of official duties and destruction of items under a public official's official charge were ruled "guilty." We deeply regret the guilty verdicts. The court failed to understand the reasons that compelled the people to take to the streets, implicitly endorsing the police violence of three years ago and deeming anyone who entered the Executive Yuan a rioter whose state suppression was a natural necessity. The defendants will discuss with their lawyers whether to appeal, urging the state to face up to its own mistakes from three years ago!

A total of 132 individuals were prosecuted by the state in connection with the March 23 case. Among them, 111 had charges dropped in advance by the Executive Yuan; therefore, the focus of this verdict was whether the remaining 21 individuals committed other offenses. We affirm the court's verdict regarding the charge of inciting others to commit crimes, with all individuals acquitted, highlighting the priority given to protecting the value of freedom of speech. However, the guilty verdicts for obstruction of official duties and destruction of items under a public official's official charge are the regrettable aspects of this case.

The anti-CSSTA movement should be viewed as a whole. When the March 18 Legislative Yuan occupation case was acquitted at the end of March, the March 23 Executive Yuan occupation case—as an integral part of the anti-CSSTA movement—should have received a corresponding outcome. The mixed outcome of partial guilty and partial not guilty verdicts stems from the judge severing the defendants' actions that night from the anti-CSSTA movement, thereby completely negating the legitimacy of entering the Executive Yuan that night.

We hope that the state will cease using judicial means to suppress protests. We are deeply angered by the police and prosecutors' mass prosecution of participants, which highlights our nation's lack of protection for assemblies and parades and its wrongful use of criminal law to suppress the people. Regarding the verdict, we urge the prosecution not to appeal the acquittals, while decisions on whether to appeal the convictions will be made after discussions with the defendants.

Verdict List

Name	Charge	Verdict
Wei O	Instigating others to commit crimes	Not Guilty
Chen O-hao	Instigating others to commit crimes	Not Guilty
Hsu O	Instigating others to commit crimes	Not Guilty
Lin O-hsing	Instigating others to commit crimes	Not Guilty
Chiang O-lun	Instigating others to commit crimes	Not Guilty
Liu O-wen	Instigating others to commit crimes	Not Guilty
Hsu O-chih	Instigating others to commit crimes	Not Guilty
	Destruction of items under a public official's official charge	Guilty, sentenced to 4 months imprisonment
Ko O-yu	Instigating others to commit crimes	Not Guilty
Lin O-yu	Obstruction of justice	Guilty, sentenced to 4 months imprisonment
Wu O-tao	Obstruction of justice	Guilty, sentenced to 3 months imprisonment
Liu O-ming	Obstruction of justice	Guilty, sentenced to 3 months imprisonment
Hsu O-jung	Obstruction of justice	Guilty, sentenced to 5 months imprisonment
Ch'en O-pin	Obstruction of justice	Guilty, sentenced to 4 months imprisonment
Wu O-yen	Obstruction of justice	Not Guilty
Chen O-cheng	Obstruction of justice	Guilty, sentenced to 4 months imprisonment
Huang O-yang	Obstruction of justice	Guilty, sentenced to 4 months imprisonment
Hsieh O-yu	Obstruction of justice	Guilty, sentenced to 4 months imprisonment
Wang O-yi	Aggravated larceny	Not Guilty
Kuo O-hao	Aggravated larceny	Not Guilty
Li O-ling	Destruction of items under a public official's official charge	Guilty, sentenced to 4 months imprisonment
Huang O-chi	Destruction of items under a public official's official charge	Guilty, sentenced to 5 months imprisonment

Attendees

Pro bono defense team / Yu Po-hsiang, Esq., Hsueh Chin-feng, Esq., Tseng Wei-kai, Esq., Chien Hsu-cheng, Esq.
Defendants in the March 23 Executive Yuan Occupation Case
Injured victims of the March 23 Executive Yuan clearance operation

Press Contact

Ho Yu-lun / Legal Researcher, Judicial Reform Foundation 02-25231178#20