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Prison drama in Taiwan as 6 disgruntled inmates take hostages, slam 'biased' treatment for ex-President Chen Shui-bian
PUBLISHED ON FEB 11, 2015 10:31 PM
84666500PRINTEMAIL
Armed riot police gather outside the Kaohsiung Prison in southern Taiwan on Feb 11, 2015. The inmates were apparently disgruntled about how the prison is run, including their NT$200 (S$8.61) monthly allowance, as well as the release of former President Chen Shui-bian on medical parole last month, -- PHOTO: AFP
BY LEE SEOK HWAI
SIX inmates at a prison in Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung are demanding a getaway on Wednesday after taking the warden and chief guard hostage, Taiwanese media reported.
The men are apparently disgruntled about perceived judicial prejudice against defendants, poor treatment of inmates including their NT$200 (S$8.61) monthly allowance, as well as the release of former President Chen Shui-bian on medical parole last month, United Daily News reported after interviewing the apparent ringleader of the six men.
"It's so unfair," Cheng Li-te, a 46-year-old hardened criminal said to be a senior member of the notorious United Bamboo Gang, was quoted by UDN as saying during the telephone interview at about 7pm.
"How come Chen Shui-bian could be released just because he has problem urinating? Other inmates who are bed-ridden or wheelchair-bound don't get the same privilege," said Cheng, who entered Kaohsiung Prison in 2012 to serve a 28-year sentence for murder.
Cheng later turned his gripes into formal demands for better allowances and a request to be released on parole during negotiations with Kaohsiung city councillor Lee Mei-chen and her father, Lee told reporters.
The six men first took a military serviceman and a staff member at the Kaohsiung Prison hostage at about 4:30pm, deputy justice minister Chen Ming-tang said at a press conference, before warden Chen Shih-chih and chief guard Wang Shih-tsang volunteered to take the place of the two hostages, Taiwan media reported.
Deputy minister Chen said the kidnappers had fired shots into air apparently as a warning, but no one was hurt.
The inmates had demanded that the authorities provide them with a car and that they be allowed to leave through the prison's side door, Chen said.
The hostage takers are armed with four rifles, six guns and more than 200 rounds of ammunition, which they had taken after breaking into the prison's armoury, deputy minister Chen said.
Four of the inmates were serving jail terms for drug-related crimes, while the other two had been convicted of robbery and murder respectively, reports said. They were serving sentences ranging from 25 years to life imprisonment.
Large numbers of armed police wearing bullet-proof vest have entered the prison complex, CNA reported. Several fire engines have also been deployed to the facility and are now parked at its gates, it said.
The authorities have also asked the inmates' relatives to come to the prison, in hopes that they could persuade the men to not commit harm.
According to deputy minister Chen, the inmates blame their attempted jail-break on what they deem as poor treatment and bad prison management.
They first obtained permission to leave their cells on the pretext of seeking medical treatment, before charging their way to the visitation room where they took the initial two hostages.
Cheng, the purported leader of the gang, said in his interview with UDN that the two hostages were unharmed. He promised that the gang would eventually release the hostages, Lee the city councillor said.
They had nothing to lose, Cheng said. I might just end up killing myself, he was quoted as saying.
seokhwai@sph.com.sg
- See more at: Prison drama in Taiwan as 6 disgruntled inmates take hostages, slam 'biased' treatment for ex-President Chen Shui-bian - East Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
PUBLISHED ON FEB 11, 2015 10:31 PM
84666500PRINTEMAIL
Armed riot police gather outside the Kaohsiung Prison in southern Taiwan on Feb 11, 2015. The inmates were apparently disgruntled about how the prison is run, including their NT$200 (S$8.61) monthly allowance, as well as the release of former President Chen Shui-bian on medical parole last month, -- PHOTO: AFP
BY LEE SEOK HWAI
SIX inmates at a prison in Taiwan's southern city of Kaohsiung are demanding a getaway on Wednesday after taking the warden and chief guard hostage, Taiwanese media reported.
The men are apparently disgruntled about perceived judicial prejudice against defendants, poor treatment of inmates including their NT$200 (S$8.61) monthly allowance, as well as the release of former President Chen Shui-bian on medical parole last month, United Daily News reported after interviewing the apparent ringleader of the six men.
"It's so unfair," Cheng Li-te, a 46-year-old hardened criminal said to be a senior member of the notorious United Bamboo Gang, was quoted by UDN as saying during the telephone interview at about 7pm.
"How come Chen Shui-bian could be released just because he has problem urinating? Other inmates who are bed-ridden or wheelchair-bound don't get the same privilege," said Cheng, who entered Kaohsiung Prison in 2012 to serve a 28-year sentence for murder.
Cheng later turned his gripes into formal demands for better allowances and a request to be released on parole during negotiations with Kaohsiung city councillor Lee Mei-chen and her father, Lee told reporters.
The six men first took a military serviceman and a staff member at the Kaohsiung Prison hostage at about 4:30pm, deputy justice minister Chen Ming-tang said at a press conference, before warden Chen Shih-chih and chief guard Wang Shih-tsang volunteered to take the place of the two hostages, Taiwan media reported.
Deputy minister Chen said the kidnappers had fired shots into air apparently as a warning, but no one was hurt.
The inmates had demanded that the authorities provide them with a car and that they be allowed to leave through the prison's side door, Chen said.
The hostage takers are armed with four rifles, six guns and more than 200 rounds of ammunition, which they had taken after breaking into the prison's armoury, deputy minister Chen said.
Four of the inmates were serving jail terms for drug-related crimes, while the other two had been convicted of robbery and murder respectively, reports said. They were serving sentences ranging from 25 years to life imprisonment.
Large numbers of armed police wearing bullet-proof vest have entered the prison complex, CNA reported. Several fire engines have also been deployed to the facility and are now parked at its gates, it said.
The authorities have also asked the inmates' relatives to come to the prison, in hopes that they could persuade the men to not commit harm.
According to deputy minister Chen, the inmates blame their attempted jail-break on what they deem as poor treatment and bad prison management.
They first obtained permission to leave their cells on the pretext of seeking medical treatment, before charging their way to the visitation room where they took the initial two hostages.
Cheng, the purported leader of the gang, said in his interview with UDN that the two hostages were unharmed. He promised that the gang would eventually release the hostages, Lee the city councillor said.
They had nothing to lose, Cheng said. I might just end up killing myself, he was quoted as saying.
seokhwai@sph.com.sg
- See more at: Prison drama in Taiwan as 6 disgruntled inmates take hostages, slam 'biased' treatment for ex-President Chen Shui-bian - East Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
