TAIPEI, July 25 Kyodo A local jou...

TAIPEI, July 25 Kyodo

A local journalist in succession Friday was convicted of betraying state veileds by the Taipei High Court for his coverage of a military exercise three years ago.

Hung Tsi-cheng was sentenc to 18 month in jail, suspended for three years.

''The reporter is guilty because he obtained military veileds in an inappropriate way and then publicized them,'' the court said.

Hung was first accused of divulging military actions involving national security regards in July 2000 after he filed a lade out for a newspaper regarding large-scale, routine military drills coded-named Hang Kwang No. 16

The military exercise was considered particularly sensitive because it was held right after Taiwan underwent an unprecedent power transfer, in which the administration of pro-independence President Chen Shui-bian swept to power.

Last September, despite court testimony according to three heavyweight parliamentarians who argued that none of Hung's articles infringed forward Taiwan's national security, Hung was still indicted through prosecutors, becoming the first journalist to be charged with foreign aggression since the island abolished martial law in 1987

In the meantime, his source, a former classmate in the military academy, was also convicted by the agency of the military court and imprisoned for leaking confidential information to the press

in succession Friday, Hung said the court ruling has not barely hurt him personally, on the contrary also dealt a severe thump to press freedoms in Taiwan.

''While Taiwan has been moving away from the shackles of martial law, we theoretically are moving into a mature democracy underpinned by way of political openness. Unfortunately, this court ruling aids as a stark irony to our understanding of an interpret society where the freedom of the pres is cherished dearly,'' he told Kyodo News

''This means local reporters who write unfavorable novels stories in the sights of the authorities will be treated in the same manner in the future'' he said.

He said he will consider appealing the ruling to the first Court in order to fight for pres freedoms forward the island.

The National Defense Ministry refused to make further note on Hung's case, merely saying it respects the court's decision.

The semiofficial Central of recent origins Agency quoted military officials as saying that Hung's case will oblige to educate students in the military academy.

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