TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Former President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) said Monday the five activities widely described as restrictions under his medical parole do not exist in law, after Taichung Prison rejected his request to host a television program.
Chen said claims that regulations bar him from attending campaign events, appearing on stage, giving speeches, accepting media interviews, or engaging in politics are incorrect, per FTV. He argued that the Regulations Governing Review Criteria for and Management of Prisoners’ Out-of-Prison Medical Treatment on Bail contain no such explicit prohibitions.
While the regulations do not specifically ban political activity by inmates on medical parole, Article 7 grants prison authorities discretion to prohibit activities unrelated to medical treatment or deemed inappropriate. Taichung Prison cited that provision as the legal basis for denying Chen permission to host the program, per UDN.
Medical parole is typically granted to inmates with serious illnesses, and nearly half of those approved die shortly afterward, according to official data. Chen, who has been on medical parole since 2015, is the longest-serving recipient of the arrangement in Taiwan’s legal history.
In 2017, when Chen sought to attend a fundraising event for the Ketagalan Foundation, Taichung Prison outlined five conditions: he was not to enter the venue, appear on stage, deliver speeches, comment on politics, or accept media interviews, per UDN. Chen later crossed those lines without punishment, including attending a campaign rally for his son, Chen Chih-chung (陳致中), in 2018 and giving an interview to Nikkei Asia that same year.
The decision to block the program has fueled speculation about political interference. Chen alleged that Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) personally ordered the ban.
In response, the Agency of Corrections said Taichung Prison acted in accordance with the law, per Storm Media. Presidential Office Spokesperson Karen Kuo (郭雅慧) echoed that position, saying Chen’s health and access to proper medical care remain the top priorities.
Chen also said that during former President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) administration, he was allowed to publish political commentary, though he was required to adjust how his title was presented, per Newtalk. He quoted Ma as saying inmates lose freedom of movement, not freedom of speech.
KMT Vice Chair Hsiao Hsu-tsen (蕭旭岑) suggested President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) may have approved the decision, arguing Chen named Cho to avoid confronting Lai directly, per ETtoday. Hsiao supported the ban, saying medical parole is intended for exceptional circumstances and should not be used to host television programs.
Still, Hsiao criticized the timing of the decision, noting that part of the program had already been recorded. He also suggested Chen’s political influence could pose challenges for Lai ahead of the 2026 local elections.
Asked whether Chen’s actions signaled a request for a presidential pardon, DPP Legislator Wang Shih-chien (王世堅) said former President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) had at one point considered a pardon for Chen, but no pardon was granted, per Tai Sounds. Wang added that the issue of parole is unrelated to the program’s cancellation.
