Raphael Lin arrested for assaulting Taiwan legislator Kao Chia-yu

林秉樞因毆打台灣立委高家瑜而被逮捕

Kao accuses boyfriend of assault, interference with personal privacy


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Raphael Lin (林秉樞), boyfriend of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Kao Chia-yu (高嘉瑜), was taken into police custody early on Wednesday morning (Dec. 1) for allegedly assaulting her.

On Tuesday (Nov. 30), Mirror Media reported that Lin had beaten Kao while they were staying at a hotel in mid-November. Kao issued a statement on Facebook in which she thanked the public for their concern and pledged to provide a full explanation in a coordinated manner.

At 11 a.m. that morning, Kao and her lawyer reportedly went to the Zhongxiao East Road Police Station to press charges against Lin for assault, but because the alleged crime occurred in New Taipei City, the case is being transferred to the Banqiao Precinct of the New Taipei City Police Department. The New Taipei City Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday issued a press release stating that it had urgently contacted Kao at 8:30 p.m. the previous evening about filing a report.

In the report, Kao accused Lin of assault (傷害罪) and interference with personal privacy (妨害秘密罪). The Prosecutor's Office stated that it is investigating Lin for assault, interference with personal privacy, wrongful imprisonment (私行拘禁), and coercion (強制罪).

Prosecutors applied for an arrest warrant from the New Taipei District Court at 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday, and one was granted about an hour later. Lin, who is a columnist for The News Lens and pursuing a doctorate at National Chengchi University, was arrested by police at the Grand Forward Hotel in New Taipei City's Banqiao District at 1:50 a.m. on Wednesday.

Police seized a mobile phone, iPad, Qubii photo storage drive, voice recorder, and other devices at his residence. The prosecutor's office pledged that it will "carefully and expeditiously search for evidence, clarify the truth, severely punish violence and ensure the safety of women and children."