TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Chen Pei-chi (陳佩琪), wife of former Taiwan People's Party (TPP, 民眾黨) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), announced plans Monday (July 21) to seek legal assistance for Ko to vote in a recall referendum. The Taipei District Court recently extended Ko's detention until Aug. 2 due to allegations of bribery and embezzlement related to the Living Mall (京華城) case.
Legal experts note that courts historically rule against detained individuals seeking voting rights, leaving decisions to detention centers or prisons. During the 2024 presidential election, most incarcerated individuals' administrative lawsuits for voting were dismissed. Only one temporary success remains pending at the Supreme Administrative Court.
The Detention Act lacks provisions for voting rights but allows detainees to attend family funerals, which Ko has utilized previously. Over the past decade, judges have denied all requests from detainees to vote on political grounds, citing difficulty balancing detention with voting rights.
Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), the current TPP chairman, confirmed Ko received a voting notification and plans to file a court request to halt Ko's detention. During a party event, Chen emphasized the importance of overseeing the ruling party and stated her intent to vote against the recall.
