Taiwan's high-profile corruption case against former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je moved into its appeal stage, keeping political pressure on his party and the courts.

• Ko was sentenced to 17 years in the first trial over the Core Pacific City property deal and political donation charges.
• The appeal court began with preparatory hearings on the donation case, questioning Ko and three co-defendants on whether they plead guilty.
• Nine of eleven defendants were convicted in March, including a Taipei city councillor and a property tycoon.
• Both prosecutors and Ko's side appealed, and Ko has brought in a new legal team of former prosecutors and judges.
• Security and media handling around the courthouse were tightly managed, a sign of how politically charged the case remains.

Outlook: The appeal will run for months, with the donation case heard first and the larger property-deal charges to follow.