TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In a significant escalation of Taiwan's political tensions, the Taipei District Court (台北地方法院) ordered the detention of Huang Lu Chin-ju (黃呂錦茹), the Taipei chairwoman of the Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), Taiwan's main opposition party. The Friday (April 25) ruling cited substantial evidence of criminal wrongdoing and potential interference with evidence. Prosecutors have been investigating claims that the KMT falsified documents in its campaign to recall legislators from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨).
The legal drama intensified after Taiwan's Supreme Court (最高法院) reversed an earlier decision that had allowed Huang to remain free without bail. This reversal forced the district court to reconsider her detention status. Judges ultimately ruled that Huang may have violated Taiwan's Criminal Code (刑法) and Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法), warranting a strict two-month detention period during which she will be barred from receiving visitors or communicating with the outside world.
The opposition party mobilized quickly in response to the detention order. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) arrived at the courthouse accompanied by several party legislators and a local official from Taoyuan, a city near Taipei. In fiery remarks outside the court, Chu characterized the legal proceedings as a "democratic prison" and vowed to exhaust all appeal options. He leveled serious accusations against the governing DPP, claiming judicial interference, and announced a protest rally for Saturday on Ketagalan Boulevard (凱達格蘭大道), the ceremonial avenue in front of Taiwan's presidential office. ★
