Taiwan charges five men for plot to injure comedian Huang Yi-hao

On 11 September, a car struck comedian Huang Yi-hao while he rode his scooter home, leaving him with a bruised pelvis. New Taipei prosecutors charged five men with plotting to run him over. Prosecutors stated the defendants were hired by an individual from mainland China identified as 'K' to injure Huang so he could not perform.

According to prosecutors, a GPS tracker was placed on Huang’s scooter months before the attack to monitor his routines. Two defendants admitted their involvement in the plan. The suspects allegedly pretended to help with an insurance claim to send a photo of Huang’s medical certificate to 'K.'

Prosecutors said 'K' refused to pay the full promised sum of NT$450,000 because Huang's injuries were minor. Huang stated on Facebook that he had been targeted by both a feces-throwing attack and a vehicular assault.

In May, two people were prosecuted after spreading feces and paint at a Taipei comedy club hours before a Huang performance. Huang has since thanked prosecutors and police for their work on the case.

Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council stated in October that at least 126 individuals have been affected by Chinese transnational repression. Lev Nachman, a professor at National Taiwan University, said there have been threats and violence against critics of the Communist party in Taiwan for many years. China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not respond to requests for comment.