｜ Group of pastors advocating for the release of Tsai Yu-chuan and Hsu Tsao-teh. Photographer: Liu Chen-hsiang Tsai Yu-chuan (1951-2017), who was persecuted by the government during the Kaohsiung incident, was chosen as chairman. When discussing the articles of association, the basic consensus on Article 3 was that “Taiwan’s future should be decided jointly by the Taiwanese people”. Member Hsu Tsao-teh suggested it be changed to “Taiwan should be independent”. Impassioned, Hsu Tsao-teh said, “If political prisoners like us are afraid to speak out about Taiwan’s future, then we’d have gone to prison for nothing. Taiwan must establish itself as a republic!” A majority of political victims in the crowd agreed. Hsu Tsao-teh (1937-2018) witnessed the horrors of the February 28 incident in Keelung when he was just 10 years old. Although he went into business after graduating from National Taiwan University’s Department of Political Science, he remained concerned about current affairs and believed strongly in Taiwan’s independence. In 1968, he was involved in the Taiwanese independence incident and was sentenced to 8 years under Paragraph 3, Article 2 of the Betray- 50 ers Punishment Act. He was pardoned and released following Chiang Kai-shek’s death in 1975. Those who formed the Taiwan Union for the Victims of Political Persecution were all political prisoners that were tortured and jailed for being proindependence. Therefore, the preparations to establish the union, the drafting of the articles of association, the declaration of “building a new and independent nation”, and the speeches that night were all to accuse and challenge the authoritarian system through assembly and association after the lifting of the martial law. That night, participants held a grand speaking event at the sports field of Taipei’s Jinhua Junior High School as planned. Chiang Peng-chien, founding chairman of the DPP, as well as respected Tangwai individuals like Chen Chu, Chen Tan-sun, Stella Chen Landauer, Chen Yung-hsing, Ko Chi-hua, Chang Wen-ying, and Rev. Dr. Kao Chun-ming all attended to show solidarity. At the speaking event, Tsai Yu-chuan announced Chapter 2 the union’s articles of association and declaration, openly encouraging the crowd to pursue Taiwanese independence. Over the years, many political prisoners were charged with rebellion in the name of Taiwanese independence, but such high-profile and openly pro-independence articles of association and declaration were unprecedented. This immediately became an overwhelming thorn in the side of the authoritarian regime, which had just announced the lifting of the martial law. Over a month later, on October 12, Taiwan Chief Prosecutor Yeh Chin-po arrested and charged Hsu Tsao-teh and Tsai Yu-chuan for the crime of insurrection. Amnesty International immediately expressed concern and named Tsai Yu-chuan and Hsu Tsao-teh as prisoners of conscience and demanded their im- ｜ Lifting of the Martial Law: Defending Absolute Freedom of Speech mediate and unconditional release. This incident was highly significant as a political indicator, as it was the first case of “Taiwanese independence rebellion” after the lifting of martial law. All eyes were on how the case would develop, and there was a stalemate of three months. During this time, the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, social activist groups, and the less than a year old DPP rallied in support of Hsu and Tsai. On November 9, 1987, the DPP organized its second National Party Congress and passed the “People have the Freedom to Advocate for Taiwanese Independence” resolution. On January 13 of the following year (1988) came the sudden passing of Chiang Ching-kuo. Vice President Lee Teng-hui was sworn in as acting president Supporters clashing with the military police during the 1988 trial of Tsai Yu-chuan and Hsu Tsao-teh. Photographer: Huang Yen-wen 51