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Jailed Taiwanese ex-leader hospitalized

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-11-16 22:09

TAIPEI -- Former Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian was taken from his jail cell to a hospital Sunday after a five-day hunger strike when a doctor found an irregular heartbeat, a prison official said.

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Lee Ta-chu, an official at Tucheng Jail where Chen had been held since last Wednesday for investigation on graft allegations, said a prison doctor recommended Chen's hospitalization after examining him.

Chen "is having difficulty breathing and is complaining of pain on the left side of his chest," said Lee, adding that Chen was conscious when taken to the hospital.

Earlier Sunday, Chen rejected repeated pleas to end his hunger strike and spent time reading legal documents about his case in solitary confinement, Lee said.

Chen has denied any wrongdoing and said he is being persecuted by his successor Ma Ying-jeou.

Since his arrest, dozens of Chen supporters have protested daily outside the prison, backing his claim of innocence and demanding his release. He has not been formally indicted, but in line with Taiwanese law, can be held in jail for up to four months while officials pursue his case.

The corruption probe began soon after Chen finished eight years in office in May, forcing him to withdraw from his Democratic Progressive Party in disgrace.

Prosecutors said they have enough evidence to hold Chen to prevent him from communicating with alleged co-conspirators as they prepare a formal indictment. They denied any government interference in the case.

In August, Chen admitted he broke the law by not fully disclosing campaign donations he had received, after a lawmaker alleged that Chen's son and daughter-in-law moved $21 million to Switzerland in 2007.

At the time, prosecutors said they wanted to determine whether the funds were donations left over from political campaigns - as Chen insisted - or whether bribery may have been involved.