Court agrees to let gagged Ko send resignation letter to TPP

Taipei, Dec. 20 (CNA) Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who has been detained incommunicado without charge for over 100 days, has been granted permission to send a resignation letter to his party.

The Taipei District Court ruled Friday that Ko's request would not interfere with the ongoing investigation into his alleged involvement in the Core Pacific City bribery case during his second term as Taipei mayor.

The leader of Taiwan's third-largest political party is being held at a detention center in New Taipei's Tucheng District and is not allowed to contact individuals outside.

Prosecutors cited fears Ko would collude with suspected co-conspirators or interfere with the investigation for the blanket gag order.

Ko submitted a request recently to lift restrictions on sending and receiving letters to deliver his resignation letter to TPP Secretary-General Vincent Chou (周榆修).

The court said that the decision was made in consultation with Taipei prosecutors, and it agreed that Ko's resignation letter was unrelated to the investigation and posed no risk of collusion or interference.

A court official said that any lifting of restrictions on detainees -- such as detention conditions, visitation rights, or communication -- is specific and based on applications submitted by prosecutors and detainees.

Friday's ruling only granted Ko permission to send a resignation letter and does not extend to other correspondence unrelated to his resignation, the official added.

In response to the district court's ruling, the TPP questioned the court's interpretation of its rules and regulations.

The court stated that Ko's resignation declaration would take legal effect automatically once submitted to the party.

The TPP said it had not yet received Ko's letter but emphasized that the party, not the court, should decide internal party matters.

Meanwhile, Ko was summoned for further questioning on Friday morning, arriving at the Taipei District Prosecutors Office at 9:10 a.m., following an eight-hour interrogation the previous day.

Taipei prosecutors are expected to finish their investigations next week.