Detained former president Chen continues hunger strike

Chen was taken into custody Nov. 12 on suspicion of money laundering, taking bribes, forgery and embezzlement during his two terms in office between 2000-2008. A marathon court hearing concluded that there was enough evidence to detain him to prevent him from colluding with other co-conspirators.

Chen denied any wrongdoing and immediately began a hunger strike in protest of what he called political persecution.

Li Da-chu, deputy warden of the Tucheng detention center in suburban Taipei, quoted a medical doctor who checked Chen’s physical condition as saying that Chen’s blood pressure, heart beat and blood sugar had all dropped further from the previous days, but still remained within normal range.

According to Li, the former president was able to walk, but complained of abdominal pain and gas.

“He drank a full bottle of a sports drink yesterday, but today he drank less than half a bottle,” Li said, adding that Chen appeared more dejected than in earlier days and that he was spending most of his time going through his files and writing in his diary.

Li said medical doctors at the detention center will monitor Chen’s condition closely and continuously.

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