Taiwan Recall Campaign Sparks Controversy: Former KMT Official Detained

Allegations of Signature Fraud in Yilan County Raise Concerns About Political Motivation

Taipei, Taiwan - April 25th marked a significant development in a recall campaign case that has ignited debate in Taiwan. The Yilan District Court ordered the detention of three individuals, including Yu Ling-chieh (俞凌傑), the former chief secretary of the Kuomintang (KMT) Yilan County chapter.

The detention follows an investigation into alleged fraudulent signatures on petitions aimed at initiating a recall vote against Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lawmaker Chen Chun-yu (陳俊宇).

Also detained were two executive members of the KMT Yilan chapter, identified only by the surnames Chen (陳) and Lee (李).

This Yilan case is part of a broader crackdown by prosecutors across Taiwan, primarily focusing on opposition KMT offices. These investigations relate to alleged signature fraud within recall campaigns targeting legislators.

The KMT has strongly criticized these actions, claiming they constitute political persecution by the ruling DPP. Investigations are ongoing in major cities such as Taipei, New Taipei, and Kaohsiung.

In the Yilan County case, prosecutors and investigators conducted raids on the KMT chapter office and the home of campaign leader Lee Hui-ling (李惠玲) on Thursday. The allegations involve violations of the Criminal Code and the Personal Data Protection Act.

In addition to the searches, over ten individuals were summoned for questioning at the Yilan District Prosecutors Office.

Prior to the detentions, two other KMT members, a man surnamed Hsia (夏) and his wife, were released on NT$30,000 (US$923) bail. Lee Hui-ling (李惠玲) was released on NT$200,000 bail.