葛特曼律師正式回函:柯文哲舉止高尚、未參與器官仲介

記者賴於榛/綜合報導

美國作家伊森.葛特曼(Ethan Gutmann)所着的新書大屠殺》(The Slaughter)爆料無黨籍臺北市長候選人柯文哲疑似涉及大陸人體器官交易,柯文哲對此委請律師處理後,柯辦律師團27日發出聲明,已經收到代表葛特曼的安世立律師事務所回函,葛特曼指出,「柯醫師的舉止高尚,從來不曾執行器官仲介。」▲葛特曼指出,「柯醫師的舉止高尚,從來不曾執行器官仲介。」(圖/柯文哲辦公室提供)據《中國時報》報導,葛特曼日前在出席一項英國國會下議院舉辦的有關大陸活摘和器官販售研討會後,就曾對該報記者表示,《大屠殺》內從來沒有指涉柯文哲涉嫌仲介器官買賣,選後也會持續替柯文哲作證。柯文哲辦公室律師團,今日則是秀出葛特曼的安世立律師事務所的正式回函,律師袁秀慧表示,聲明稿將檢附英文回函文件中文翻譯,呼籲媒體勿再曲解葛特曼先生書籍原意,影響選舉的公正性。

袁秀慧指出,回函中清楚地說明,葛特曼認爲臺灣媒體對待柯文哲醫師及葛特曼是不公平的,柯醫師的舉止高尚,從來不曾執行器官仲介,也從來不曾透過中國器官市場進行獲利,柯醫師對於揭露目前仍在中國進行的醫療犯罪行爲有重大、國際級貢獻,柯醫師的行爲是令人驕傲的。

葛特曼律師回函中文翻譯:

請諒解我們的迴應時間,超過了您當初於十一月四號信中,我們所承諾的三週期限數日。

我們對於柯醫師的疑慮非常認真地看待,且我們已經詳閱所有書中相關頁面並檢視當時撰寫依據的面談紀錄與文件。

我們認爲,在臺灣媒體上全面性的誤解與魯莽指控,是因爲Gutmann書中的英文與相關頁面被翻譯成中文過後,因爲語言文化差異所造成的理解問題。我們相信所有的誤解都會在中文版的The Slaughter中被澄清,其中會包含未收錄在英文版中的序言,會直接回應柯文哲醫師的疑慮。

爲了讓事情明朗,我們必須要指出,對於書中225頁的理解,完全沒有英語語系評論家,有着跟第一語言是華語的臺灣讀者有着相同解釋。

在您給Gutmann先生的信件中,您對於255頁的敘述「所有器官都是來自於法輪功」有特別的疑慮。

這本書有透過三位專業讀者同儕審查,且經Prometheus冗長的內部編輯過程,不僅包含文字內容,更須檢視作者筆記、訪談的錄音帶以及電子溝通。

沒有任何英語系的讀者會將標題或是文字內容解讀爲,柯文哲可從類似私人「器官仲介」交易的形式取得法輪功器官,只會解讀爲柯文哲醫師是被告知資訊的。

迄今沒有任何英語系讀者曾經將柯文哲醫師解讀爲器官仲介者。

迄今也沒有任何英語系讀者相信,柯文哲醫師曾試圖自行購買器官或是以任何形式參與營利行爲。相反地,多數讀者讚揚柯醫師對於調查的貢獻。審查人員們均一致地如此迴應,就像是觀衆們華盛頓特區National Endowment for Democracy中舉辦的The Slaughter書本發表會的反應一樣。

我們相信語言、翻譯以及在臺北市市長選舉中激昂的政治環境,會導致大家誤會作者的意思並讓事情變得更模糊。

然而我們將全力確保在中文版的The Slaughter會越準確越好。

總而言之,我們重申我們認爲臺灣媒體對於柯文哲醫師以及Gutmann先生的對待是不公平的。Gutmann先生相信且我們認爲他的書所闡述的是,柯文哲醫師的舉止高尚,柯文哲醫師從來不曾執行器官仲介,他也從來不曾透過中國器官市場進行獲利,且他對於揭露目前仍在中國進行的醫療犯罪行爲有着重大國際級的貢獻,柯文哲醫師的行爲是令人驕傲的。

葛特曼律師英文回函:

Re: Your Letter to Mr. Gutmann on OctoberPlease excuse us for having exceeded by a few days the three week time period within which we had agreed to expand upon our earlier letter to you of November 4.We take Dr. Ko’s concerns very seriously and we have reviewed the relevant pages in his book together with our own records of interviews and notes on which those pages were based.We have concluded that the entire misunderstanding and the reckless accusations which have appeared in the Taiwan media would appear to be based on language and cultural differences between the English in Mr. Gutmann’s book, on the one hand, and the understanding of the relevant pages when the latter have been rendered into Chinese.We believe that all misunderstandings will be clarified in the Chinese edition of The Slaughter, which will contain a special preface not included in the English edition. This preface will address Dr. Ko’s concerns directly.For greater clarity, we would like to point out that no English speaking reviewer of the book has understood page 255 in the way it has apparently been understood in Taiwan by readers whose first language is Chinese.In your letter to Mr. Gutmann, you specifically mentioned the caption on page 255 reading “All the Organs will come from Falun Gong” as a particular concern.This book was peer-reviewed by three expert readers and subjected to a lengthy internal editing process by Prometheus. This review included not only the text itself, but also the author’s notes, interview tapes, and electronic communications.No English-speaking reader has understood the caption or the text to mean anything other than that Dr. Ko was being given information, rather than making a statement about the availability of Falun Gong organs in some sort of personal “organ broker” deal. No English-speaking reader to date has understood for one moment that Dr. Ko was acting as an “organ broker”.No English-speaking reader to date believes that Dr. Ko was trying to purchase organs himself or was in any way involved in any sort of profit-making venture.On the contrary, most readers have praised Dr. Ko for his contribution to the investigation. Reviewers have responded similarly, as did the audience at the author’s book launch at the National Endowment for Democracy in Washington DC.We believe that language, translation, and the heated environment of the political campaign for the mayoral race in Taipei may be playing a role in misconstruing the author’s intentions and clouding the issue.Nonetheless we are interested in ensuring that the Chinese edition of The Slaughter is as accurate as possible.In conclusion, we reiterate that we think the Taiwan media has been unfair in its treatment of both Dr. Ko and Mr. Gutmann. Mr. Gutmann believes, and we think his book demonstrates, that Dr. Ko has acted honourably, that he has never been an organ broker, that he has never sought profit through China’s organ marketing, and that he has contributed significantly to the international effort to expose the medical crimes which continue to be perpetrated in China.Yours TrulyClive AnsleyUnit 306 – 576 England Avenue, Courtenay BC, Canada V9N 2N3 Telephone: (250) 338 - 0202 Facsimile: (250) 338 - 0902Website: www.ansleyandcompany.com