Presidential election smear campaign leads to indictment; Hou Han-ting proudly says: 'I will not plead guilty'

Taipei City Councilor Hou Han-ting faces charges for allegedly spreading false information during the 2024 presidential election campaign. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office indicted Hou on charges including violations of the Election and Recall Act and forging private documents.

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Respect judicial procedures, being indicted is my honor, and I will firmly plead not guilty.

Prosecutors allege that in the lead-up to the election, Hou, who was then a legislative candidate, held a press conference to distribute a document he claimed was internal "political information" from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). The document accused the DPP of manipulating the "pro-communist collaborator" issue. Investigations revealed the document to be fabricated.

Hou's actions, prosecutors stated, were driven by a desire to see DPP candidates lose the election, as he allegedly distributed the false information without verifying its source or authenticity. The indictment asserts that this was an attempt to illegally influence the election results.

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I have committed no crime, so I will not plead guilty; nor will I shut up or retreat because I have been indicted. I will continue to fight the DPP's evil policies and defend the rights of the people!

Responding to the indictment, Hou Han-ting expressed defiance, stating he respects the judicial process but will plead not guilty. He declared the indictment an "honor" and a "medal" for a public servant who dares to expose corruption and supervise those in power. Hou vowed to continue fighting against what he termed the DPP's "evil policies" and to defend the rights of the people, asserting that he will not be silenced or retreat due to the charges.

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Judicial procedures, I will face them calmly; right and wrong, we will see in court!