Taichung Prison has turned down former president Chen Shui-bian’s request to attend a charity dinner to be held by the Ketagalan Foundation in Taipei on Saturday.
Chen is on medical parole from his 20-year sentence for bribery committed during his time as president from 2000 to 2008.
Taichung Prison said on Friday that it rejected Chen’s application because the dinner in his honor is a political event and the foundation is also a political charity.
However, Chen has been granted permission to visit his old home in Taipei and meet friends on condition that the meeting is private and that he gives no media interviews.