The New York Times
Date: APRIL 22, 2016
By AUSTIN RAMZYAPRIL 22, 2016

In a joint meeting, Chinese and Taiwanese officials discussed cooperation in the investigation and trial process of the 45 Taiwanese citizens charged with telecommunications fraud. By CCTV, via REUTERS on Publish Date April 22, 2016. Photo by Yin Gang/Xinhua, via Reuters.
HONG KONG — Forty-five fraud suspects from Taiwan who are suspected of cheating mainland Chinese by telephone from a base in Kenya have admitted guilt and will soon face trial, according to the Chinese police, the state news media reported on Friday.

The suspects were deported from Kenya to China this month, stirring concern in Taiwan that Beijing was using its international clout to control the fate of the accused.

Officials from Taiwan visited the Beijing detention center where the suspects were being held on Thursday, and they met with Chinese officials to discuss visitation rights and treatment of the detainees. Only some of the suspects have seen a lawyer, according to Xinhua, China’s state-run news service.

Some of the suspects had been tried for fraud in Kenya and acquitted, while the others had not yet faced trial when they were deported. Because the victims of the purported telephone hoaxes were overwhelmingly from the mainland, Chinese officials demanded that the suspects be sent there, along with Chinese citizens also accused of involvement in the alleged fraud ring.     [FULL  STORY]