bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Agence France-Presse

Taiwan’s High Court has cleared former president Ma Ying-jeou of any criminal activity in a political leaks case which was compared at the time to the Watergate scandal in the US.
Ma was found not guilty on Friday of leaking secrets and instructing a top prosecutor to disclose confidential information about a 2013 judicial probe, in a major legal victory for the politician who has faced a slew of lawsuits since leaving office.
“The court ruled that relevant evidence provided by prosecutors failed to prove any crime committed by the defendant,” a court spokeswoman told reporters, adding the decision was final.
Ma’s Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT) party held power from 2008 to 2016, before it was trounced by Tsai Ing-wen’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).




While still in office, Ma was protected by political immunity. But, since leaving office, the 68-year-old has been hit with a string of corruption allegations.
Ma was not present when the verdict was announced. He had maintained his innocence throughout and accused the prosecution of mounting a flimsy case.
“He is grateful and relieved by the not-guilty verdict in the retrial,” his office said in a statement.
The High Court had initially sentenced Ma to four months in prison last year for violating the Communication Security and Surveillance Act but the Supreme Court revoked that conviction in January and ordered a new trial.
The case stemmed from a judicial probe in 2013 about whether the parliamentary speaker at the time – a political rival of Ma’s – had improperly influenced a court case against an opposition lawmaker.
Investigators had been accused of tapping the lawmaker’s phone to acquire the information that implicated the speaker.
Taiwan’s Ma back in spotlight with launch of namesake foundation
The leaks controversy sparked a political storm in 2013 and saw two top officials resign, while thousands of protesters took to the streets to demand Ma step down.
The DPP, then in opposition, compared the probe to the Watergate scandal in the US.
Ma was the third ex-president in Taiwan to be indicted on criminal charges.
His predecessor Chen Shui-bian was serving a 20-year sentence for corruption before he was freed on medical parole in 2015.
Lee Teng-hui was charged with embezzling state funds during his 1988-2000 presidency, but was acquitted.


How China is preparing for Trump’s face-changing act

Beijing reminds Canada of ‘one China’ commitment ahead of visit by Tsai

Why your Chinese wedding invite has a cake voucher included, and traditional types of cake

China to court G20 nations to bypass US-led sanctions in potential Taiwan conflict: report

Taiwan

Taiwan ex-leader Ma Ying-jeou found not guilty in political leaks case

Taiwan’s former president Ma Ying-jeou has been handed a major legal victory in a High Court decision on Friday which found him not guilty in a 2013 political leaks case. Photo: AFP

Kaohsiung mayor Han Kuo-yu enters Taiwan’s presidential race

Taiwan presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu is joined by about 150,000 supporters at a rally in Taipei on Saturday. Photo: AFP

epa07509195 President of Taiwan Tsai Ing-wen speaks during the 2019 Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue in Taipei, Taiwan, 16 April 2019. According to news reports, The United States has approved the possible sale of 500 million US dollar of military equipment and support to Taiwan, amid continued military drills near the island nation, conducted by the Chinese military. China considers Taiwan to be part of its territory. EPA-EFE/RITCHIE B. TONGO

Supporters of Kaohsiung city mayor Han Kuo-yu from the Kuomintang party display Taiwanese flags during a campaign event in Taipei on June 1, 2019. (Photo by Daniel Shih / AFP)

Taiwanese tycoon Terry Gou may join other aspirants in challenging President Tsai Ing-wen in the election of the island's top post next year. Picture by CNA

Possible Taiwan presidential candidate Ko Wen-je meets head of mainland China’s Taiwan Affairs Office

Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je meets Liu Jieyi, head of mainland’s Taiwan Affairs Office in Shanghai on Friday. Photo: Handout

Taiwan bars retired top officials from ‘political events’ backed by Beijing

DPP lawmakers hold up placards showing their support for the bill in Taiwan’s legislature on Wednesday. Photo: CNA

Taiwan ex-leader Ma Ying-jeou found not guilty in political leaks case

High Court delivers final verdict in major legal victory for former president