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Taiwan former president detained | Taiwan former president detained |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Taiwan's ex-President Chen Shui-bian, who faces corruption charges, has been formally taken into custody. | |
A court had earlier approved a request by prosecutors to detain him after Mr Chen spent several hours answering questions in the prosecutor's office. | A court had earlier approved a request by prosecutors to detain him after Mr Chen spent several hours answering questions in the prosecutor's office. |
When he was led from the office in handcuffs he raised his arms into the air and shouted the words "political persecution" before getting into a car. | When he was led from the office in handcuffs he raised his arms into the air and shouted the words "political persecution" before getting into a car. |
The former president, who stepped down in May, denies all the graft charges. | The former president, who stepped down in May, denies all the graft charges. |
Mr Chen has been taken to Tucheng prison in the suburbs of the capital, Taipei. He can now be held for up to four months. | |
Police have reportedly tightened security around the jail amid threats from his supporters to protest over what they claim was an "unfair trial". | Police have reportedly tightened security around the jail amid threats from his supporters to protest over what they claim was an "unfair trial". |
Muscle tear | Muscle tear |
The BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei says the authorities want to avoid the type of protests seen last week during a landmark visit by a high-ranking Chinese Communist official to Taiwan. | |
Mr Chen and his supporters - who see closer ties to Beijing as a threat to Taiwan's sovereignty - opposed that visit. | |
Court proceedings had to be suspended on Tuesday, when Mr Chen said he needed hospital treatment after being pushed outside the court building. | Court proceedings had to be suspended on Tuesday, when Mr Chen said he needed hospital treatment after being pushed outside the court building. |
He was returned to court for an overnight sitting after doctors found he had only a minor muscle tear. | He was returned to court for an overnight sitting after doctors found he had only a minor muscle tear. |
Mr Chen is accused of money laundering and illegally using a special presidential fund. | Mr Chen is accused of money laundering and illegally using a special presidential fund. |
But the staunch nationalist accuses the new administration of persecuting him to bow to the wishes of Beijing. | But the staunch nationalist accuses the new administration of persecuting him to bow to the wishes of Beijing. |
Mr Chen is an ardent supporter of Taiwanese independence, and a trenchant critic of President Ma Ying-jeou's Kuomintang (KMT) administration, which he accuses of pandering to China. | |
Mr Chen and his family have been mired in corruption allegations since 2006, when his son-in-law was charged with insider trading on the stock market and then jailed for seven years. | Mr Chen and his family have been mired in corruption allegations since 2006, when his son-in-law was charged with insider trading on the stock market and then jailed for seven years. |
The charges have damaged the reputation of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), observers say, which may now face a rough ride in next year's local elections. | The charges have damaged the reputation of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), observers say, which may now face a rough ride in next year's local elections. |
Taiwan has been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949; the defeated Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan to create a self-governing entity. | Taiwan has been ruled separately since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949; the defeated Kuomintang retreated to Taiwan to create a self-governing entity. |
But Beijing sees the island as a breakaway province which should be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. | But Beijing sees the island as a breakaway province which should be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. |