» 01/03/2012 15:29 TAIWAN Ex President Chen to leave prison, handcuffed, to attend mother-in-law’s funeral The DPP leader is serving a 17-year sentence for corruption. He will be able to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral but under escort and without the opportunity to talk to the media. The funeral comes four days before Taiwan’s presidential elections.
Taipei (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Taiwan's jailed ex-leader Chen Shui-bian will be allowed to attend his mother-in-law's funeral next week, but will be handcuffed or even chained and barred from speaking to the media, officials said yesterday.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) leader was president between 2000 and 2008; however, he is currently serving a 17-year jail sentence after he was convicted on dubious corruption charges.
His wife, Wu Shu-chen, was also convicted on the same charges but is out of jail on health grounds. She too will attend her mother’s funeral, scheduled for 10 January in Tainan, a city in southern Taiwan and a DPP stronghold.
"If an inmate applies for permission to attend a close relative's funeral, permission is granted for humanitarian reasons," said Su Kun-ming, a spokesman for Taipei Prison, where Chen is serving his sentence.
“However, the prisoner must be escorted by prison wardens and be handcuffed or chained. Also, he is not allowed to talk to reporters."
The public appearance of the former president just four days before presidential elections could sawy voters in favour of the DPP’s Tsai Ing-wen, who is the main challenger of outgoing Kuomintang (Nationalist) President Ma Ying-jeou.
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