TAIWAN

November 7
Ying Chan, Free-lancer, LEGAL ACTION
Hsieh Chung-liang, Yazhou Zhoukan, LEGAL ACTION
Lui Tai-ying, director of the Business Management Committee of Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang, filed a criminal libel suit against Chan, an American journalist who writes for the Daily News of New York, and Hsieh, senior editor of the Hong Kong-based Yazhou Zhoukan (Asia Weekly). The suit stemmed from an article in the Oct. 25 edition of Yazhou Zhoukan that alleged that during an August 1995 meeting with former White House staffer Mark Middleton, Lui had offered to donate US$15 million to the Democratic National Committee for U.S. President Clinton's re-election campaign. If convicted, Chan and Hsieh face up to two years in jail. Lui's decision to sue the reporters has been defended by senior members of the Kuomintang. CPJ sent a letter to President Lee Teng-hui condemning the use of seditious libel suits and calling on his government to openly dissociate itself from Lui's suit. CPJ also urged Lee to ensure that no government or Kuomintang resources are used in the suit.

For more information contact asiaweb@cpj.org