wfn.org | PCT Promotes “Innocent Until Proven Guilty” in Controversial Trial

["Lydia Ma" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>Taiwan Church News

>2964Edition

>December 15-21, 2008

PCT Promotes “Innocent Until Proven Guilty” in Controversial  Trial

>Reported by Lin Yi-ying

>Written by Lydia Ma

The Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT) is under heavy criticism by  Taiwanese society and media for reaching out to former President Chen  Shui-bian and his family. When corruption charges against Chen and his  wife, Wu Shu-jen, surfaced in Taiwan, the former First Lady sought  Gi-kong (Yi-Guang) Presbyterian Church member Li Sheng-shiung to be her  defense lawyer and Li agreed. Speaking on this matter, Associate General  Secretary of the PCT Lyim Hong-Tiong said that challenging an unjust  judiciary that trampled a defendant’s human rights is not only in  accordance to the PCT’s Christian values, but also pleasing to God.

Commenting from a lawyer’s perspective on Chen’s release after  being detained for 32 days, Li Sheng-shiung said that the move was only  fair and would facilitate due process. From the beginning, the trial  against the former president has been marred by arrests of former aides  with the intent of extracting confessions, rampant information leaks by  prosecutors, and trial by the media long before a formal trial or  indictment can take place. According to Li, all of these incidents only  point to the fact that this is not an ordinary trial by the judiciary.  Hence, he urges Taiwanese media and society, who do not have all the  facts in the case, to treat Chen and his family as innocent until proven  guilty.

Throughout the whole process Li Sheng-shiung faithfully carried out his  duty as a human rights lawyer and a witness for Jesus Christ. Whenever  he had to make court appearances, Li would bring gospel tracks, such as  “Heart Farmer Weekly”, to give to fellow lawyers, prosecutors,  and the judge. He also gave a Taiwanese Bible to former President Chen  and his immediate family. He would often lead them in prayer when he  visited them.

When word got out in August 2008 that Li Sheng-shiung and Gi-kong  (Yi-Guang) Presbyterian Church pastor Daniel Cheng had visited former  First Lady Wu Shu-jen, Yi-Guang Presbyterian Church and the General  Assembly office of the PCT began receiving some threatening mails and  several hundreds of threatening phone calls. To ensure the safety of the  neighborhood, Pastor Cheng reported these incidents to the local police.  According to Pastor Cheng, Li had served as defense lawyer along with  Chen Shui-bian and Frank Hsieh from as early as the Kaohsiung Incident  in the 1970s. Being asked to serve as defense lawyer by the former first  lady is a responsibility Li carries out with care for he has always  believed that it is his duty is to help those in need. Hence, Pastor  Cheng urges Taiwanese society and media to be as objective and  coolheaded as possible.

Pastor Cheng believes that the PCT’s role is to spread the gospel,  care for people’s souls, and help those who are persecuted. Because  the trial surrounding former President Chen is marred by human rights  abuses, the PCT felt compelled to act and voice its concern in  accordance to its core faith values. However, if the allegations against  the former president turn out to be true, Cheng believes that the former  president should definitely face the consequences of his actions.

At the time of this news report, the General Secretary and Moderator of  the PCT were overseas. Acting General Secretary Lyim Hong-Tiong  represented General Secretary Andrew Chang in stating that the  PCT’s position remains unchanged. Throughout its existence in  Taiwan, the PCT has always remained true to Taiwan and stood on the side  of the oppressed. Lyim urged other Christian denominations to research  on the PCT’s statement of belief before passing judgment and  cautioned them from believing everything reported by the media.

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