Summary Death dealt a blow to the defense ministry's plan to end conscription, which was already hit.
TAIPEI (AFP) - A Taiwanese court sentenced 13 military officials to up to eight months in prison over the death of a young conscript last year that sparked widespread anger.
The Taoyuan district court in northern Taiwan also cleared five officials of any wrongdoing in the death of Corporal Hung Chung-chiu, citing insufficient evidence.
Hung, 24, died of heatstroke on July 4, just three days before the end of his compulsory year-long military service.
Hung s death triggered massive street protests and brought down the then defence minister.
His family said Hung was forced to do excessive exercise as punishment for taking a smartphone onto his base.
Prosecutors had said that Hung was subjected to "cruel and abusive" exercises when indicting the 18 military officials over his death.
The heaviest sentence went to Hung s former Company Commander Hsu Hsin-cheng, who received an eight-month jail term also for abusing his authority to confine the young conscript, the court said in a statement.
Staff Sergeant Chen Yi-hsun, who oversaw Hung s punishment while in solitary confinement, received a six-month jail term on abuse charges, while five defendants were found guilty of charges of death caused by professional negligence and each received five to six months imprisonment, the court said.
Major General Shen Wei-chih, the former commander of Hung s brigade, deputy commander Ho Chiang-chung and four others were sentenced to six months in prison on charges of abuse of authority to confine Hung, it added.
Hung s family protested at the perceived light punishment, as the accused were not convicted of more serious charges such as death resulting from abuse of a subordinate, which is punishable by life imprisonment.
"We want to voice our disapproval. The government and the defence ministry is black-hearted and this is a dark day in justice. The verdict is unacceptable," Hung s uncle Hu Shih-ho told reporters while giving the thumbs-down sign, as some supporters shouted "unfair justice" at the courthouse.
Hung s family has said that he had previously filed complaints about other abuse meted out by his superiors.
His death dealt a blow to the defence ministry s plan to end conscription, which was already hit by low recruitment.
