Chen Shui-bian is Taiwan’s first former national leader to ever be convicted of a criminal case. Chen and his wife, Wu Shu-jen, were found guilty of illegally receiving at least US$9 million in connection with a government land deal, laundering some of the money through Swiss bank accounts, and forging documents. The two were also charged, but not convicted, of embezzling more than US$3 million from a special state fund.
Last week, Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je called on President Ma Ying-jeou to pardon the former leader. Ko, an independent, said the move will help bring a reconciliation between President Ma Ying-jeou’s KMT administration and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led by president-elect Tsai Ing-wen.
But the presidential office has said that it is not able to pardon Chen, because the authorities are still handling cases that involve him.
Most DPP lawmakers are in favor of granting Chen a pardon. However, the party said last Friday that it will respect “public opinion” when asked to comment on whether president-elect Tsai Ing-wen will issue a pardon when she takes office on May 20.
Meanwhile, the justice ministry has declined to comment on whether the former leader should be given a pardon. Earlier this week, Deputy Justice Minister Lin Hui-huang told lawmakers that the justice ministry has yet to discuss Chen’s case or make any suggestions to President Ma Ying-jeou.
Lin said there is a difference between an amnesty and a pardon though. He said an amnesty refers to a commutation for all convicted criminals whereas a pardon is for an isolated case. Lin also said the power is invested in the president as stipulated in the constitution, not in the justice ministry.
The deputy justice minister said there has been no political interference in a trial, scheduled to begin May 13th, over the former leader’s misuse of a special state fund when he was in power.