Ex-Taiwan president on hunger strike: lawyerTaiwan's former president Chen Shui-bian Chen Shui-bian, 1951–, Taiwanese political leader, president of Taiwan (2000–). Born into poverty, he obtained his law degree from National Taiwan Univ. in 1975 and practiced as a maritime lawyer. has not eaten since being detained over a corruption probe in protest at what he insists is a politically-motivated investigation, his lawyer said Thursday.Chen, whose pro-independence stance in office set him against Beijing, has repeatedly accused the island's China-friendly government of being behind allegations of embezzlement embezzlement, wrongful use, for one's own selfish ends, of the property of another when that property has been legally entrusted to one. Such an act was not larceny at common law because larceny was committed only when property was acquired by a "felonious taking," i. , money laundering The process of taking the proceeds of criminal activity and making them appear legal. Laundering allows criminals to transform illegally obtained gain into seemingly legitimate funds. , taking bribes and forgery. Chen has only drunk water since entering a detention centre detention centre Noun a place where young people may be detained for short periods of time by order of a court Noun 1. detention centre early Wednesday and has not eaten a proper meal since late Tuesday, lawyer Cheng Wen-long said. "He intends to stop eating in protest," Cheng told reporters after visiting the former leader, who he said was "in an okay condition now." A court ordered the politician locked up Wednesday, capping 24 hours of high drama that saw a defiant Chen led away in handcuffs hand·cuff n. A restraining device consisting of a pair of strong, connected hoops that can be tightened and locked about the wrists and used on one or both arms of a prisoner in custody; a manacle. Often used in the plural. tr.v. , taken to hospital after saying he had been beaten by police, and then finally put behind bars Verb 1. put behind bars - lock up or confine, in or as in a jail; "The suspects were imprisoned without trial"; "the murderer was incarcerated for the rest of his life" gaol, immure, imprison, incarcerate, jail, jug, lag, remand, put away . Chen, the first former Taiwanese leader to be arrested, faces allegations of embezzling around 15 million Taiwan dollars (about 450,000 US) while in office. However, he is yet to be charged. His lawyer said the former president was "willing to stay in the dark prison cell for the people... he said he can sacrifice his life for the 'Republic of Taiwan.'" "Former president Chen stressed that his arrest is like 'sentencing without a trial,'" Cheng told reporters. Chen's wheelchair-bound wife Wu Shu-chen Wu Shu-chen or Wu Shu-jen (Traditional Chinese: 吳淑珍) (born July 11, 1953) is the wife of Chen Shui-bian, the President of the Republic of China. also accused prosecutors of taking part in a political witch-hunt, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. lawmaker and family friend Ker Chien-ming. "Wu is very weak and very upset now... She finds it unacceptable to handcuff and detain the former president," Ker said after visiting her earlier Thursday. However, prosecutors flatly rejected that politics had interfered in their investigation. "Nobody has intervened in (Chen's) case... everything is legal," said Chen Yun-nan, a spokesman for the prosecution. Scores of Chen supporters gathered outside the detention centre where Chen is being held Thursday despite rain. Chen's office announced plans to stage a mass rally in a Taipei park on November 22 and other supporters said they would protest over the weekend. In Chen's hometown in southern Taiwan, a man wore a T-shirt printed with Chen's cell number "2630" and handcuffed his hands in protest, television footage showed. Chen's arrest and detention is the latest development in a long-running corruption probe against the former leader, who has admitted submitting falsified expense forms while in office but said the money was used for "secret diplomatic missions" and not for his personal benefit. Other members of his family have also been implicated im·pli·cate tr.v. im·pli·cat·ed, im·pli·cat·ing, im·pli·cates 1. To involve or connect intimately or incriminatingly: evidence that implicates others in the plot. 2. in alleged corruption, among them Chen's son-in-law, who on Thursday had his seven-year jail term and a fine of 30 million Taiwan dollars for insider trading upheld by Taiwan's High Court. In a separate money laundering case, prosecutors have alleged that 21 million US dollars was sent to Swiss bank accounts belonging to Chen's daughter-in-law in 2007. The funds have since been frozen. Chen has admitted his wife wired 20 million US dollars abroad from past campaign funds but has denied laundering money. Chen said on Tuesday that he was being victimised by the China-friendly Kuomintang, which succeeded him after eight years in office, because he was the "biggest stone" blocking the island's reunification re·u·ni·fy tr.v. re·u·ni·fied, re·u·ni·fy·ing, re·u·ni·fies To cause (a group, party, state, or sect) to become unified again after being divided. with the mainland. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to invade if it moves towards independence. Since taking office, Chen's successor President Ma Ying-jeou, has worked quickly to improve ties with China following eight years of tension. 
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