CNA sues ex-reporter allegedly linked to TPP leader's paparazzi group

Taipei, Oct. 1 (CNA) Taiwan's Central News Agency (CNA) said Wednesday it has filed a criminal complaint against a former reporter for breach of trust and other offenses, after a Taiwanese media report linked her to a politicized paparazzi group allegedly organized by Taiwan People's Party (TPP) leader Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌).

In addition to the criminal complaint filed with the Taipei District Prosecutors Office against Hsieh Hsing-en (謝幸恩) on Wednesday morning, the state-affiliated national news agency said it will also file a civil lawsuit against Hsieh "regarding the damage to CNA's reputation."

CNA said Hsieh resigned on Monday, but "subsequent media revelations indicated she may have been involved in politicized paparazzi activities and in publishing stories under the pseudonym Hsiao Yi-yi (蕭依依), possibly violating journalistic ethics and CNA's regulations, and seriously harming the agency's reputation."

The Taiwan Alliance for Self-Regulation of Online News (TASON) also released a statement Wednesday, urging CNA to investigate the case thoroughly and publish its findings.

The group said CNA, a non-profit corporation that receives a large share of its funding from Taiwan's Ministry of Culture, must uphold journalism ethics, warning that violations involving political figures and pay arrangements would seriously harm media professionalism.

TASON also called on RW News, which published reports allegedly sourced from the paparazzi group, to explain its ties with Huang and the Taiwan Anti-corruption and Whistleblower Protection Association (TAWPA), which was established by Huang, stressing that media should avoid becoming political tools.

The latest developments follow a report by Taiwanese news website Mirror Daily on Friday that alleged Huang organized a paparazzi group to follow and photograph political opponents in 2022.

According to the report, the group's members included former reporters with experience in surveillance, and its first major case targeted then-Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral candidate Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) in November 2022.

Mirror Daily also alleged that the group later received funding through Kai-ssu International (凱思國際), a private company, and that several members employed by the company were involved in tailing DPP legislator Wang Yi-chuan (王義川).

CNA said on Friday that it suspended Hsieh from reporting duties immediately after the report appeared, reassigned her to other work, and launched an internal ethics investigation.

On Tuesday, Huang addressed the report for the first time, accusing Mirror Daily of "smearing the opposition on behalf of the ruling party."

Speaking at a TPP press conference, he defended Hsieh, saying he was "speechless" at the accusations against her.

Huang also described Mirror Daily as "Taiwan's biggest paparazzi group" and declined to answer directly whether TAWPA had paid people involved in the alleged group.