Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-09-22    

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is set to put a proposal to pardon former president Chen Shui-bian on the agenda for an upcoming delegates’ meeting. The party holds the majority in Taiwan’s legislature, as well as the presidency.

Chen was in office from 2000 to 2008 and was the first DPP politician to serve as president. But after he left office, he was given a 20-year prison sentence on corruption charges. He was granted medical parole in 2015.

A group of Chen’s supporters now says that 86.5% of party delegates have signed a petition calling for a pardon. As a result, discussion of a possible pardon has been put on the agenda for a delegates’ meeting on Sunday. Chen himself has been invited to the meeting, though his son says he will consider carefully whether to accept the invitation.    [FULL  STORY]