Detained Taiwanese ex-president Chen on hunger strike

by Sanjay Jha | November 13, 2008 at 02:31 am

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After former Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian was put into police custody on Tuesday afternoon, he has refused to eat anything denying any wrongdoing.

Chen was questioned over accused corruption scandals at the local prosecutor's office. Chen, handcuffed, was brought to the Taipei district court, which will determine whether to officially arrest him.

Chen is accused of embezzling about NT$15 million ($683,600) while in office, money laundering, accepting bribes and forging documents and under the investigation for other corruption charges.

Chen Shui-bian, a native-born Taiwanese, served as the island's president from 2000 to 2008.

Taiwan's former president Chen Shui-bian has not eaten since being detained over a corruption probe, in protest at what he insists is a politically-motivated investigation, his lawyer said Thursday.

Chen, whose pro-independence stance in office set him against Beijing, has repeatedly accused the island's China-friendly government of being behind the allegations of embezzlement, money laundering, taking bribes and forgery.

Chen had only drunk water since entering a detention centre early Wednesday and had not eaten a proper meal since late Tuesday, lawyer Cheng Wen-long said.