TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A court gave a modest suspended fine of NT$1,000 (US$31.77) to the man accused of distributing a fake video online purporting to show Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) flinging away a pencil at the funeral of a murdered railway police officer.
The man, an engineer from New Taipei City surnamed Chan (詹), could have faced a maximum fine of NT$30,000 (US$953) or even three days in detention.
His behavior had affected “public peace,” the New Taipei District Court in Banqiao said Thursday (August 1).
Following Chan’s discovery last month, he admitted to distributing the recording and apologized, the Central News Agency reported.
The video actually showed Su attending a different memorial service, while Chan had alleged in his comments that the premier had resented having to go to the police officer’s funeral.
The government has clamped down on fake news, striking back with legal action at individuals posting false reports online without checking their authenticity.
