High court upholds sentences for Reunification Alliance Party figures

Taipei, Aug. 20 (CNA) The Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch on Wednesday upheld prison sentences of four years and six months for two officials of the minor Reunification Alliance Party who recruited people to travel to China for political purposes.

Rejecting the defendants' appeal, the court said the Pingtung District Court's earlier ruling of August 2024 was correct in its findings and its application of anti-infiltration and election laws.

The original ruling sentenced Reunification Alliance Party Pingtung branch leader, surnamed Chang (張), and branch chief executive, Huang (黃), to four and a half years in prison each, with an additional two-year suspension of civil rights.

According to the Pingtung District Prosecutors Office, Chang and Huang were indicted for taking more than 20 Taiwanese nationals on two trips to China that, excluding airfare, were paid for by the Chinese government.

The prosecutors said the Chang and Huang, at the behest of the Chinese government, urged audiences to support for specific candidates in Taiwan's January 2024 presidential election.

Those actions violated Article 4 of the Anti-Infiltration Act, prosecutors said when the indictment was handed down.

Article 4 does not allow individuals to publicly support a political candidate (as defined under Article 43 of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act) "if the person is instructed, commissioned or funded by the sources of infiltration."

According to the Pingtung District Court, from Sept. 20 to 24, 2023, Chang and Huang arranged group trips to China at the request of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

Travelers were required to pay about NT$18,500 for airfare, while Chinese officials covered food, lodging, transportation and other costs in China, the court found.

During the trip, speeches were delivered that promoted the "1992 Consensus" and "peaceful unification," the court said, and Chang voiced agreement with remarks such as "both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family."

The Pingtung District Court added that from Oct. 16 to 24, 2023, Chang and Huang once again recruited people to travel to China under similar arrangements.

Members this time paid between NT$20,000 and NT$25,000 for airfare, while various expenses were paid for by the Chinese side.

On December 23, 2023 at a meeting of the Reunification Alliance Party, Chang and Huang publicly voiced their support for specific presidential and legislative candidates and then promoted their position on social media.

Prosecutors said the two men were "substantively under the control" of the Chinese government's Taiwan Affairs Office, and received financial support from them.