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Sunday, November 2, 2008

Taiwan's media directs prosecutors how to investigate? 台灣媒體領導檢察官辦案?

I am almost finished with my research into the melamine news and health issue (which I will publish some time in the near future), but there is some worrysome degree of deterioration of human rights back home as I have just noticed on reading some of my favorite Taiwan blogs (such as http://michaelturton.blogspot.com/2008/11/fapa-statement-on-recent-arrests.html). So, I went into Taiwan's newspapers and discovered this article http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/nov/2/today-o3.htm,

「喇叭」改變了我的看法
◎ 劉進興
最近好幾個前政府官員被收押,本以為扁案已有突破,正在收尾;但聽到邱義仁也被收押,改變了我的看法。
我認識邱義仁幾十年,不相信他會貪污。仔細研究媒體的報導,並參考檢方聲請羈押的理由後,我發現,(1)收押邱義仁並無正當性;(2)無正當性而押邱取供,顯示扁案已經走到死巷;(3)台灣似乎又重返威權恐怖時代。
檢方根據貪污治罪條例第五條「利用職務上之機會,詐取財物」之罪羈押邱義仁。但此罪之成立,必須是將錢放入自己口袋。邱義仁雖然曾代表國安會簽收五十萬美金,但並未放入自己口袋,而是使用在「安亞專案」;外交部也有最後拿到這筆錢的人的英文簽名收據,就表示錢已經用出去了。檢方並無證據說他中飽私囊,就以此法條羈押他,並無正當性。
名嘴與媒體藉機亂放謠言,聽起來好像真的,其實都沒有根據:
報上說他明知安亞專案第三期已經結案,還向外交部騙錢。事實上,秘密外交多是國安會主導,外交部配合。邱義仁既非私下運作,而是正式去函,就表示安亞專案第四期已經建案,何騙之有?是否結案,豈是外交部一個小官說了算?
報上又說發現「數張千元美金旅行支票」在外國賭場兌現。某電視名嘴也說二○○四年邱義仁曾經出國,可能藉機兌現支票。其實上述簽收是在二○○五年,檢方最後也承認,其後邱義仁及相關的人並未出國,並非他兌現的。至於最後的收款人是否輾轉將五十萬美元中的不到一%流入賭場,既非重要,也與邱義仁無關。
更離譜的是電視新聞報導在邱義仁家中搜到空白旅行支票,據查根本是胡說八道。
將邱義仁羈押禁見,讓他無法替自己辯駁,卻放任名嘴與媒體造謠,豈不就像警察抓住你的雙手,讓小流氓來圍毆一樣嗎?
阿扁一家也許在道德上有許多爭議,但法律上是否有罪,司法應該憑證據辦案。像目前這樣漫天撒網,違反無罪推定原則地任意押人取供,反而讓人懷疑,扁案是否證據不足辦不下去了,才出此下策?
在白色恐怖時期,警特司法利用受害者在恐懼下誣人自保的本能,造成了許多冤案。邱義仁被無理羈押,以及最近王定宇被微罪重辦,不免令人懷疑執政者有計畫地在恐嚇人民。馬政府的復辟原來不是回到本土國民黨的九十年代,也不是回到軟性威權的八十年代,而是回到逆我者亡的五十年代。真的是這樣嗎?老天!

So the "trumpet" changed this author's previous thoughts that the former president Chen's case is coming to a conclusion, i.e. all necessary proofs of crime are complete by the prosecutors.
The "喇叭" (trumpet) I suppose is "Taiwan's media" because "trumpet" is like a "擴聲器", and I wonder why in Taiwan some prosecutors (in order to seek promotion?) must co-op with the media to investigate? Or should I say some prosecutors in Taiwan are led by the media's speculation to direct their investigations!

Mr. Chiou I-Jen may give people an impression that he looks mysterious and dressed strangely (out of tune with modern politician’s style), but his human rights like the rest of us should be respected. 邱義仁雖留給人的印象是神秘稀稀、穿著奇怪,但像我們每一個人的人權一樣, 都必須被尊重。

For any information, any news, any topic, I read from as many sources as possible and from as many languages as I can handle, and compare their accuracy, then I draw my own conclusion.

I tell my kids that they must develop a good study method by using all the textbooks and references (course aids in books or electronic devices) available, and this will help them in their life-long learning.

I guess these prosecutors in Taiwan had not learned their research techniques from young, or the system of recruitment for government employees in the justice department failed to pick-up the brightest graduates.

And some reporters in Taiwan lack professional ethics, resulting in either the media leads the investigation, or one is pronounced guilty before a court hearing 未審先判.

About the media ethics, I came across another article today, http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2008/new/nov/2/today-o2.htm

I wish Taiwan's media and justice system will improve on their output quality so as to cathch up with Taiwan's proud and globally recognized good standard set by its IT products.

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