|
TAIWAN: MND PUNISHES DOZENS OVER WRONGFUL EXECUTION
March 5, 2012: In Taiwan, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed that it has levied administrative punishments to dozens of military personnel that were found involved in the wrongful execution of former airman Chiang Kuo-ching.
A total of 23 military personnel were each given reprimands or demerits for derelict of official duties or were found responsible for the coerced confession of Chiang, military spokesman Luo Shou-he told reporters yesterday.
Lou did not give exact names for those who were punished. But the list reportedly includes two former Defense Ministers Chen Chao-min and Lee Tien-yu.
Luo's comments came as a confirmation to the Chinese-language Liberty Times report yesterday which quoted sources as saying that the MND has already handed out punishment to those responsible for the airmen's death after it completed its internal report over the case on mid-2011.
Chiang was executed in 1997 for the rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl at the Air Force Combat Command in Taipei the previous year.
However, a re-opening of the case launched by the government watchdog Control Yuan last year found that the soldier had been wrongfully executed.
According to Control Yuan members, Chiang was tortured by 14 Air Force anti-espionage personnel continuously for 37 hours before making the confession that led to his conviction and execution.
Chiang's fellow soldier, Hsu Jung-chou, is now a chief suspect and has been indicted and is currently under detention.
The new findings drew public outrage and demands that the MND punish those Air Force personnel responsible for Chiang's death.
The list includes former Ministers Chen and Lee, who were senior officials of the Air Force Combat Command when Chiang's case occurred.
There has also been talk of revising the law to revoke the pension and other benefits for Chen and other related authorities.
Some argued that Chen and those involved in the case should be responsible to cover the NT$131.85 million compensation money that the government has paid to Chiang's mother. (Sources: chinapost.com.tw, 06/03/2012)
|
