On August 30, 2024, Taiwan witnessed an unprecedented and shocking event in its history: for the first time, the headquarters of the major opposition party and the private residence of our chairman were raided simultaneously by the investigative authorities. Chairman Ko Wen-je was taken away and has remained detained ever since—today marks the one-year anniversary of his imprisonment.

What followed was an outrageous display of the trinity of party, prosecutors, and media working hand in hand. State apparatus, together with its allied media, relentlessly released one-sided, distorted, and error-ridden so-called “investigative secrets.” On one hand, this orchestrated campaign sought to destroy Chairman Ko’s character through smear and defamation; on the other, it attempted to paralyze the Taiwan People’s Party’s operations completely.

Despite being subjected to long-term isolation and detention, Chairman Ko has never lost hope or determination in the face of such unjust political persecution. In open court, he has repeatedly voiced his grave concerns about Taiwan’s judicial system. He said: “I have been detained for a year. For me personally, this suffering is a small matter. But what matters more is how to minimize the damage to public trust in Taiwan’s judiciary—that is what I truly care about.”

To ensure fair justice in Taiwan, to rebuild trust in the judiciary, to truly safeguard human rights, and to guarantee that the next generation may enjoy genuine equality and freedom, TPP solemnly declare our commitment to advancing judicial reforms, including:

1. Strengthening the principle of non-disclosure in investigations and strictly holding leakers accountable.

2. Ending the abuse of pretrial detention and effectively preventing coerced confessions.

3. Enhancing the independence of the prosecutorial system to eliminate political interference in judicial appointments and cases.

4. Bringing transparency into the courts to strengthen public oversight and restore faith in justice.

Let the whistle of August 30 become a spark of light for the oppressed. We shall push forward judicial reform so that the justice of the Taiwanese people may rise anew.

We sincerely thank the “Little Grass” volunteers (our supporters) across Taiwan who have spontaneously organized civic actions in cities nationwide to echo this movement.

Through concrete actions, we want to send a clear message to the ruling party: the people of Taiwan will not accept the judiciary being reduced to a tool for suppressing other political parties. Once again, we call on the ruling party to heed the voice of the people.