Former President Chen Shui-bian may soon be released from jail on compassionate grounds under a proposal to be sent to the Ministry of Justice.
Chen, who is serving a 20-year sentence in Taichung Prison for a variety of corruption-related offences, was recommended Dec. 29 for medical bail by a 15-member panel led by Taichung Veterans General Hospital Deputy Director Hsu Hui-heng.
The former president is said to suffer from depression, prostatitis, sleep apnea and stammering. Repeated requests for medical parole have been denied over the years.
Sources familiar with the case said the Agency of Corrections will make a final decision on the matter after receiving the official documents.
Under existing regulations, inmates requiring special medical treatment outside of a correctional facility can apply for one month's bail, which can be extended to three months if necessary. Prison doctors will regularly assess such inmates, and they may be returned to prison if their condition improves.
If Chen is released, he is not permitted to take part in activities beyond receiving medical care and his normal daily routine, according to the MOJ.
After completing two full terms in office May 2008, Chen was found guilty in 2009 of embezzling public funds and money laundering, with a number of corruption cases pending trial. (SFC-JSM)
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