TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Judicial Reform Foundation on Monday criticized the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office over suspected leaks related to an ongoing case involving CTiTV reporter Lin Chen-yu (林宸佑), calling for stricter enforcement of rules governing investigation secrecy.
The foundation said that after Lin was detained, coverage by some media outlets included details that went beyond information released in official statements, per NOWNews. It said material that should have remained confidential, including content from interrogations, appeared in news reports.
The foundation said the disclosures suggested possible leaks from within the prosecution. It added that in cases involving national security, prosecutors should exercise greater caution to avoid releasing information that could harm the public interest.
While acknowledging that prosecutors may inform the public about ongoing investigations through designated channels, the foundation said the principle of non-disclosure must be upheld to ensure the integrity of investigations, protect the presumption of innocence, and safeguard the rights of all parties involved.
The foundation also criticized the Ministry of Justice, saying it has done too little to address repeated allegations of investigative leaks. It said some media organizations have repeatedly published information resembling details later found in indictments, yet no one has been held accountable for past disclosures.
According to the foundation, regardless of whether leaked information is accurate, such disclosures damage Taiwan’s legal system and further erode public trust. It warned that excessive release of investigative material risks convicting defendants in the court of public opinion before judicial proceedings are completed.
The Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office said it respects calls to uphold the non-disclosure of ongoing investigations and urged the public to allow investigators sufficient space to carry out time-sensitive work, per ETtoday. The Ministry of Justice said alleged violations involving disclosure of investigation details would be handled by the prosecutorial offices responsible for the cases, per CNA. It said any misconduct would be addressed in accordance with the law.
Concerns over investigative leaks have been raised in past cases. Journalist Chen Hui-wen (陳揮文) cited the case of former Central News Agency reporter Kuo Mei-lan (郭玫蘭), whose reputation he said was damaged by leaked information during a probe that ultimately resulted in no prosecution, per UP Media.
Chen said that although prosecutors dropped the case against Kuo due to insufficient evidence, the reputational harm caused by the leaks was irreversible. He added that neither the Investigation Bureau nor the Taipei District Prosecutors Office issued an apology.
A later review by the Control Yuan found that the Investigation Bureau had requested the Taipei prosecutors open an investigation based solely on email evidence, despite having previously investigated Kuo for years. The review said it took an additional 10 months after initial searches produced no concrete findings for prosecutors to close the case.
More recently, former FTV reporter Ma You-wen (馬郁雯) reported on searches of former Taiwan People’s Party Chair Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) residence. Five days after the search, Ma published a report alleging Ko had accepted NT$15 million (US$476,000) in bribes from Core Pacific Group Chair Sheen Ching-jing (沈慶京).
Ma was later summoned by the Taipei District Prosecutors Office as part of an investigation into alleged leaks, per TVBS. The office denied leaking information and took Ma’s testimony, acknowledging her responsibility as a journalist to protect her sources.
Ma, who has said she spent seven years cultivating sources within prosecutorial offices, has since announced plans to run for city council as a Democratic Progressive Party candidate, per Newtalk.
Ko has also criticized prosecutors, alleging that information unrelated to the Core Pacific case continued to be leaked to certain media outlets.
