Taiwan Political Firestorm: Accusations of Forged Recall Signatures Rock the Nation

The Recall Petition Scandal Unfolds in Taichung, Threatening Political Figures and Igniting Controversy.

In a development that has sent shockwaves through Taiwan's political landscape, investigations into allegedly fraudulent recall petitions have intensified. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office launched a raid on the Kuomintang (KMT) Taichung City Party headquarters, implicating key figures, including Secretary-General Chen Chien-feng. Nine individuals were named as defendants, alongside three from pro-recall groups, indicating that both sides of the political aisle may be involved in illegal activities. Following overnight interrogations, the prosecutors ordered the arrest of Chen Chien-feng and one other individual, requesting they be held in pre-trial detention on charges including forgery.

The investigation was triggered by a complaint from the Central Election Commission, alleging irregularities in recall petitions targeting five members of the Legislative Yuan in Taichung: Tsai Chi-chang, Ho Hsin-chun, Yen Kuan-heng, Huang Chien-hao, and Liao Wei-hsiang. Five prosecutors were assigned to investigate the allegations, examining recall proposal documents from both the Central Election Commission and the Taichung City Election Committee. The analysis revealed suspected instances of forgery and violations of the Personal Information Protection Act related to the names listed on the petitions.