ABSTRACT
On June 4, 2012, there was an unusual protest in Taiwan. Wu Hsun-lung (吳巡龍), a district prosecutor, staged a sit-in in front of the Supreme Court building to protest against a court resolution (最高法院101年第2次刑庭決議) made a few months earlier. In this resolution, the Supreme Court limited the obligation of the district courts and high courts to investigate evidence in criminal cases. 1 Trial courts were told to no longer initiate the investigation of evidence unfavorable to the defendant, meaning that prosecutors would shoulder 100 percent of the burden of proof. If the prosecutor fails to present solid evidence proving a defendant’s guilt, the court will acquit the defendant of the unproven charges. This resolution immediately aroused a backlash from prosecutors. In order to pressure the Supreme Court, Prosecutor Wu launched the “June 4 Prosecutors Movement” (檢察官六四運動), and later staged a one-man sit-in. At the same time, 1,078 prosecutors, 27 law professors and 23 crime victims jointly signed a letter of protest initiated by the Prosecutors’ Association. 2 However, the Supreme Court showed no intention to make concessions.
