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By Liu Wan-lin and Lery Hiciano / Staff reporter, with staff writer and CNA
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The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) yesterday called for its supporters to protest the Taipei District Court’s “politically motivated” decision to keep former party chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) in detention, after the High Court on Thursday night revoked its earlier bail decision.
Acting TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said that the party calls on its supporters nationwide to meet at Taipei’s Freedom Square at 2pm on Saturday next week — Judicial Day — to call for Ko’s release and an independent judicial process.
Huang accused the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) of “green authoritarianism” and said that the party is undermining Taiwan’s judicial freedom by using the court as a political tool.
Acting Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang, top, confers with others in his party caucus at the legislature in Taipei yesterday.
Photo: Tien Yu-hua, Taipei Times
The court’s rulings are contradictory, the prosecutors are biased, and the judge faced political pressure to keep Ko and his codefendants detained, Huang said, accusing the DPP of acting similarly to the Chinese Communist Party’s Red Guards.
Judicial independence is the cornerstone of a democratic society and it is equal for all, regardless of politics, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference yesterday.
The TPP applies a double standard toward the court process, only being in favor when it likes the outcome, Wu added.
When the court originally ruled in favor of bail, TPP officials thanked the judge, but now that it has been revoked, the same officials seek to undermine the ruling, he said.
The TPP should have the same approach as the DPP and allow the courts to work independently, free of political pressure, Wu added.
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) called for a free and independent judicial process in response to the court’s ruling.
The KMT position remains that justice must be fair and honest, KMT spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu said.
The court’s decision to revoke bail without proper explanation undermines the public’s trust in the process, Yang said.
The case against Ko could have wider ramifications, KMT Legislator Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀) said, adding that it could prevent future collaboration between the DPP and TPP.
Given the support for Ko and the TPP, the DPP should remain concerned about the political impact of the case, Lee added.