Tuesday, November 16, 2010
TAIPEI (AFP) - – The family of Taiwan's jailed former president Chen Shui-bian suffered a fresh legal setback on Tuesday after his son lost a libel case against a magazine over allegations he visited prostitutes.
The Kaohsiung district court said in a statement that the suit filed by Chen Chih-chung had been dismissed as Next magazine provided proof of its claims and should be protected by freedom of speech.
Chen, currently running for city councillor in Kaohsiung, Taiwan's second-largest city, claimed that he was persecuted ahead of the key regional elections, which take place in less than two weeks.
"The judges dismissed evidence favouring me and I was subjected to unfair and unjust treatment. This is political persecution aimed at scaring me," he told reporters.
The weekly Next magazine in July ran a story and photos of a woman, who claimed to be a sex worker paid by Chen, getting out of a car he owned, although Chen was not photographed with her.
Chen has claimed that he loaned the car to a friend and that the report was a ploy to sabotage his campaign.
The November 27 elections for mayors and councillors in five cities are the last major polls before a 2012 presidential vote and are seen as a key indicator of voting intentions for the national ballot.
Chen unveiled his election bid on June 11, saying he aimed to clear his father's name.
He made the announcement on the same day the island's high court reduced jail sentences for the ex-leader and his wife to 20 years from life for graft.
Chen Chih-chung himself received a 30-month jail term, cut to 14 months in June, as part of the same sweeping scandal, dismissed by the ex-president as political persecution for his support of formal independence from China.
The island's highest court last week sentenced the couple to 19 years in prison on two bribery charges but ordered a new trial on three related cases involving embezzlement of state funds, money laundering, forgery and more bribery claims.
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