Taiwan Recall Campaigns Under Scrutiny: KMT Staffers Face Detention

Taichung Prosecutors Move to Detain Two Kuomintang Staffers Amidst Signature Falsification Allegations

Taichung, May 3 – Prosecutors in Taichung, Taiwan, have sought court authorization to detain two staffers affiliated with the Kuomintang (KMT) party, as part of an investigation into alleged signature falsification within recall petitions targeting two lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Chen Chien-feng (陳劍鋒) and Wu Kang-lung (伍康龍), both associated with the KMT's Taichung chapter, are suspected of various offenses related to efforts to recall DPP Legislators Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) and Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純), according to Taichung prosecutors.

The alleged offenses encompass violations of the Personal Data Protection Act and the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, among others. Prosecutors have requested the detention, citing concerns about potential collusion and the destruction of evidence.

A total of 13 individuals were questioned by prosecutors on Friday in connection with suspected signature falsification within the recall campaigns targeting Tsai and Ho in Taichung.

Following the questioning, six individuals, besides Chen and Wu, were released on bail, ranging from NT$100,000 (US$3,244) to NT$200,000, with restrictions on foreign travel. The remaining five individuals were permitted to return home.

Meanwhile, six individuals involved in the recall campaign against KMT Legislators Yen Kuan-heng (顏寬恒), Liao Wei-hsiang (廖偉翔) and Huang Chien-hao (黃健豪) were questioned and subsequently released.

The investigation was initiated by prosecutors following a report from the Central Election Commission, which highlighted accusations of forgery, including the presence of signatures from deceased individuals on the petitions.

Raids conducted by prosecutors on Friday targeted eight locations across Taichung and Changhua County, including offices linked to "one or more political parties," along with the residences and district offices of those questioned.

According to the Central Election Commission's data, the recall campaigns involved signatures from 154 deceased individuals, with 83 linked to the case against Tsai, 66 against Ho, three against Liao, and one each against Yen and Huang.