Source: United Daily News

July 12, 2013

 

The Defense Ministry decided on Thursday to expand the Army’s list of administrative punishments over the death of 23-year-old Corporal Hung Chung-chiu (洪仲丘). According to the Defense Ministry’s final decision, 27 Army officers, including Commander Lee Shying-jow (李翔宙), a full general, two lieutenant generals, and four generals, would be punished, with 12 of them facing court martial trials. Lee, the highest ranking officer to be punished, was given a reprimand, pending approval by President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九). Political Warfare Director of the Army Tseng Yu-fu (曾有福), a lieutenant general, was also given a reprimand.

 

The Defense Ministry also announced that as of Thursday, it would suspend confinement in the stockade as a punishment imposed on non-commissioned officers and enlisted men in the Armed Forces. Those held in the stockade would consequently be released and given other appropriate punishments by the competent superior officers in accordance with the Armed Forces Punishment Act. 

 

Hung was serving in the 542nd Armored Brigade (under the 6th Army Command) in Hsinchu County of northern Taiwan and had been set to be honorably discharged on July 6. When he returned to the base from a regular leave on June 23, Hung was found to be carrying a cellphone with a video camera function, an act that violated military rules regarding information security. Hung was thus sent to the 269th Mechanized Infantry Brigade in Taoyuan County on June 28 for confinement in the stockade for up to a week. Unfortunately, Hung suffered heat exhaustion and died after performing a series of physical drills at the base on July 3. Hung’s family questioned whether any forms of torture had been inflicted before his death.