Taipei - Supporters of Taiwan ex-president Chen Shui-bian plan to protest outside the Taipei District Court when Chen is sentenced this week in his corruption trial, Chen's office said Wednesday. "Some 300 to 500 people from various groups will gather outside the court to protest the sentencing because they think he is not guilty and detaining him is wrong," Chiang Chih-ming, secretary of Chen's office, said by phone.
He denied a newspaper report that Chen's supporters plan to storm the court Friday if the sentence is seen by them as too harsh.
"I have not heard they want to storm the court," Chiang said. "They only want to express their protest."
Chen and his wife, Wu Shu-chen, are charged with embezzling 2.97 million US dollars in state funds and accepting 14 million US dollars in bribes as well as money-laundering, influence-peddling, extortion and document forgery.
The crimes with which Chen is charged were allegedly committed during his two presidential terms from 2000 to 2008. Chen faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment but may appeal the verdict.
Chen has previously denied the charges and said his detention and trial amount to political persecution by the administration of President Ma Ying-jeou from the China-friendly Chinese Nationalist Party.
Since his detention late last year, Chen, formerly of the Democratic Progressive Party, has continued to enjoy support from people who favour Taiwan seeking formal independence from China.
