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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 DPP hails medical parole
Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Ming-tang holds up a document during a press conference in Taipei yesterday, announcing that the Agency of Corrections had approved medical parole for former president Chen Shui-bian. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
Former president Chen Shui-bian’s （陳水扁） release from prison yesterday on medical parole was lauded by the Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） as a significant step by the government toward respecting human rights and toward resolving what the party described as the public divide.
DPP Secretary-General Joseph Wu （吳釗燮） yesterday said that the DPP has long called on the Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） government to allow Chen to be treated at home on medical parole and for the government to respect his human rights in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights （公民與政治權利國際公約） and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights （經濟社會文化權利國際公約）, both ratified in Taiwan in 2009.
Multiple assessments and diagnoses carried out by physicians from Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Greater Taichung Veterans General Hospital and the Greater Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital have proven that Chen’s health has been in decline over the past two years, Wu said, adding that the diagnoses from Taipei Veteran’s General Hospital suggested home care to prevent further deterioration.
The DPP applauded what it called the end of the government’s “political bigotry,” as well as its respecting of human rights and professionalism, Wu said, adding that the decision would go a long way toward diffusing social conflicts.
Former DPP chairmen Su Tseng-chang （蘇貞昌） and Frank Hsieh （謝長廷）, as well as former premier Yu Shyi-kun （游錫?） also applauded the decision.
Separately yesterday, former Taipei mayor Hau Lung-bin （郝龍斌） said on Facebook that he wished the ruling and opposition parties would learn to respect each other and respond to public calls for both to let go of history and look to the nation’s future together.
Hau added that he had hoped for the diffusion of cross-party tension when he presided over the placement of a plaque that renamed the site of democracy advocate Deng Nan-jung’s （鄭南榕） self-immolation “Freedom Lane” （自由巷）, but said he was sad to see the two sides were still learning how to respect each other two years later.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
