Two reporters for the United Daily News and one colleague from the China Times were subpoenaed to testify at the Ministry of National Defense tribunal, which was investigating Taiwan Goal, but they chose not to appear in court since they would have been asked to identify their sources for their stories. Thus, Kuomintang lawmakers proposed an amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure that would allow press workers to refuse to release sources of information.

The Taiwan Goal, founded last year, is the now-disbanded government-owned company responsible for purchasing weapons and equipment from abroad. It had signed contracts to "upgrade Lafayette frigates and purchase sophisticated arms from France before the scandal came to light in the run-up to the presidential election on March 22," according to AsiaMedia.

The three reporters believed that freedom of the press is guaranteed by the Constitution, but such protection does not cover immunity to prosecution if reporters withhold their sources of information.

The proposed amendment, which would give that immunity to press workers and other professionals including medical doctors, midwives, priests, and attorneys, will be acted on next week.

Wu Chih-yang, a Kuomintang lawmaker, said "reporters should be protected against intimidation."

 "A few reporters have been held in contempt of court and fined for refusing to reveal their news sources. That goes against freedom of the press upheld in the Constitution," Wu said.

Source: AsiaMedia