FORMER PRESIDENT'S ADVICE SOUGHT ON LEE MING-CHE|李明哲遭中逮捕逾兩月 李登輝:政府須硬起來

Former DPP party worker Lee Ming-che was arrested by China over two months ago. On Jun.14, China claimed that it hired a lawyer for Lee. It also emphasized that the charge is a suspected criminal offense, rather than a human rights case. To save Lee, Lee's wife visited former president Lee Teng-hui and sought advice from him. The former president thinks that the current government should take a strong attitude in dealing with the case. Former DPP party worker Lee Ming-che, who was accused of subversion of state power and arrested by Chinese authority, was put on the U.S Congressional-Executive Commission's list of political prisoners, waiting for rescue. On Jun.14, China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council claimed to have retained a lawyer for Lee, in accordance with his wishes. It also emphasized that the case is a suspected criminal offense, rather than a human rights case. ==MA XIAOGUANG Spokesman, China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council== Interfering with China's judicial processes under the pretense of protecting human rights will not help Lee in any way. Lee's wife, Lee Ching-yu, said she cannot accept China's response. She will not believe in any statements made either by Chinese authorities or by lawyers until she sees her husband in person. To save her husband, on Jun. 14, she visited former president Lee Teng-hui to take advice from him. The two had a conversation for over two hours. The former president thinks that the Taiwanese government should take a firmer stand. ==LEE CHING-YU Lee Ming-che's wife== He encouraged me to go straight on the right path, even though there are difficulties on my way. The U.S. is lending a helping hand out of friendship. Our country still needs to take a firm stand and make out its own ways to deal with such case concerning its nationals. Lee has been missing for nearly 3 months. Taiwan has asked China to allow Lee's family to visit him. However, there has been no response from China so far. Lee's wife may visit the U.S. again to seek help, sparing no effort to save her husband. TRANSLATED BY ARIEL HSIEH 民進黨前黨工李明哲在中國遭逮捕，至今已經超過2個月，中國國台辦發言人馬曉光今天表示，已經依據李明哲的意願，通過法律援助為他安排律師，更直言李明哲涉嫌犯罪案件，不是人權事件，不過李明哲的太太李凈瑜表示無法接受，她也向前總統李登輝請益，該如何援救丈夫，李前總統認為，台灣政府必須要有強硬作為。 遭到中國檢察機關，被依「顛覆國家政權罪」逮捕的民進黨前黨工李明哲，已經被美國國會及行政部門中國問題委員會，列入委員會政治犯名單，協助援救，不過，中國國台辦今天聲稱，已經依據李明哲的意願，通過法律援助為他安排了律師，更反批李明哲是涉嫌犯罪案件，不是所謂的人權事件。 ==中國國台辦發言人 馬曉光== 打著人權的幌子 對大陸依法辦案橫加干涉 甚至去到外國告洋狀 我想這都是無濟於事 面對中方的態度，李明哲的太太李凈瑜無法接受，她堅決在見到李明哲前，絕不會承認中方或律師所取得的陳述，為了救丈夫，李凈瑜今天親自登門，向前總統李登輝請益，兩人會談超過2小時，李前總統則不斷勉勵李凈瑜，更認為台灣政府要強硬起來。 ==李明哲妻子 李凈瑜== 他勉勵我 對的路 繼續走下去 過程當中會有點辛苦 美國的幫忙 那個是 朋友的道義之情 我們國家的國民發生了 什麼樣的事 我們的國家 要有我們自己的態度 自己的作法 李明哲失蹤已經87天，僅管政府已向中方，提出讓家屬探視的要求，不過，中方至今未回應，李凈瑜不斷奔波，之後不排除再訪美國，尋求援助，設法救出李明哲。 記者 蔡慧玲 邱福財 陳保羅 台北報導