TAIPEI (AFP) — Taiwan's detained former president Chen Shui-bian resumed eating Thursday, officials said, two weeks after he began a hunger strike to protest at what he claims is a witch hunt.
A court ordered Chen locked up on November 12, and since then the pro-independence politician had only drunk water in protest at what he insists is a politically-motivated investigation carried out on the orders of the China-friendly Kuomintang government, his lawyer said.
"The former president took in around 500 cc of plain congee (rice porridge) around 1:30 pm (0530 GMT)," said Li Ta-chu, deputy chief of the Tucheng Detention Centre outside Taipei, where he has been detained.
The former leader became ill after starting his hunger strike and was hospitalised on November 16 and found to be dehydrated.
Chen, the first former Taiwanese leader ever to be arrested, faces allegations of embezzling around 15 million Taiwan dollars (about 450,000 US) while in office. However, he is yet to be charged.
Chen is also being investigated over allegations of taking bribes, money laundering and document forgery.
The money laundering scandal surfaced in mid-August when the ex-president admitted his wife Wu Shu-chen had wired 20 million US dollars abroad from his past campaign funds. He said she had done so without his knowledge and has denied embezzling money from the government.
The former president, whose pro-independence stance in office set him against Beijing, has repeatedly accused the island's China-friendly government of being behind the allegations.
Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory, to be retaken by force if necessary.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
