TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Justice Minister Cheng Ming-chien (鄭銘謙) on Wednesday rejected accusations of political favoritism in the ministry’s recent list of senior prosecutor promotions.

The controversy centers on the inclusion of three prosecutors involved in ongoing or sensitive cases involving opposition figures: Lin Chun-yen (林俊言) and Tang Chung-ching (唐仲慶), who are both participating in a graft investigation involving former Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), and Chu Chia-jung (朱家蓉), who has overseen a case involving KMT Taipei branch head Huang Lu Chin-ju (黃呂錦茹), per Knews.

Cheng said that all promotions followed the legal appointment process, which includes peer voting, committee review, and final selection by the justice minister, per Tai Sounds.

Among the names, Lin has drawn the most scrutiny. Core Pacific Chair Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京) accused Lin of trying to coerce testimony against Ko without the presence of legal counsel, an accusation denied by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office. Ko has also claimed Lin attempted to pressure him into a confession by threatening the release of adult-rated videos allegedly stored on a USB drive held in court custody.

Following the announcement of the promotion list on Monday, TPP Chair Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) questioned the timing of the release, alleging it was delayed from Friday, per Tai Sounds. He suggested some prosecutors may have been rewarded for loyalty, rather than performance.

KMT Legislator Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) echoed the criticism, alleging the ruling DPP is exerting undue influence over the judiciary, per UDN. She noted that prosecutors from the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, which handles both of the above-mentioned cases, accounted for one-quarter of those promoted.