Chen hospitalized after hunger strike

Chen's health deteriorated quickly having refused food, water or any medical checkups since Thursday after he was remanded into custody, officials at the Taipei Detention Center said.

Chen was carried out of the detention center on a stretcher as he left on an ambulance for the Taipei County Hospital's Banchiao branch.

Doctors at the hospital, after examining the former president, said Chen was weak and dehydrated, but no serious problems had developed.

Further examinations will be conducted today to address Chen's complaints about chest pains, doctors said.

His wife, Wu Shu-chen, had asked to see Chen at the hospital, but her request was turned down by the detention center.

Lee Ta-chu, deputy warden of the detention center, said as a rule detainees are not allowed visitations on Saturdays.

Leading members of the Democratic Progressive Party expressed serious concern over Chen's condition, blasting the Justice Ministry for what they said was its belated decision to transfer the former president to the hospital.

Some lawmakers, including Gao Jyh-peng — a close ally of Chen — and officials from the Democratic Progressive Party showed up at the hospital but were also barred from seeing Chen.

Gao said the Justice Minister Wang Ching-feng had called DPP lawmakers earlier in the morning to tell them about the decision to send Chen to the hospital.

But Gao said the DPP lawmakers were not grateful to Wang for the message.

Gao said they could not understand why the ministry failed to take action to defend Chen's human rights until more than 20 DPP lawmakers exerted pressure on the minister, Friday.

DPP Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen, currently in the United States, issued a statement to show her “strong concern” over Chen's health and human rights.

She said she has asked the DPP Secretary General Wu Nai-jen and the party's legislative caucus to offer Chen active help to protect his health and human rights.

Former Premier Frank Hsieh of the DPP said the law should be observed, but Chen's health and human rights should be taken care of.

Three DPP local government chiefs from southern Taiwan — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu, Kaohsiung County Magistrate Yang Chiu-hsing, and Pingtung County Magistrate Tsao Chi-hung — urged the court to quickly release Chen.

They said it is an abuse of human rights for keeping the former president in custody.

The DPP said Chen has been in custody most of the time since Nov. 11, and the court has extended his detention a few times without justifiable reasons.

A spokesman for the Taipei District Court, Huang Chun-ming, said the panel of judges presiding over Chen's case will consider all factors in their bail hearing.

The judges will meet again Monday to see whether Chen's detention will be prolonged, Huang said.

The court started the bail hearing Thursday to see whether it is necessary to extend Chen's current two-month term of detention, which expires later this month.

Chen felt sick and signs of heart problems during the session and was sent back to the detention center without the court reaching a decision on his custody status.

Chen then went on a hunger strike after returning to the detention center.

In protest of what he called an unfair trial, he also issued a statement saying he would give up defending himself and asked the court to summarily sentence him to life in prison. He said he would not appeal.

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