The Taiwan High Court yesterday sentenced former Taiwan Association for Human Rights (台灣人權促進會) president Peter Huang (黃文雄) to four months in prison for returning to Taiwan in 1996 without first seeking permission from the government.
"Huang violated Article 3-1 of the National Security Law (國家安全法), so the court sentenced him to four months in prison, but the sentence could be waived in lieu of a NT$900 daily fine for the duration of the sentence," said Judge Tsai Yung-chang (蔡永昌).
The requirement to apply to re-enter the country was stipulated in the National Security Law, passed in 1987 when the government lifted martial law.
During his first trial on Feb. 15, 2000, Huang was sentenced to five months in jail by the Taipei District Court.
When approached by reporters yesterday afternoon, Huang said that the court decision is unconstitutional. Yesterday's ruling actually gave him an opportunity to apply for an interpretation of the article from the Council of Grand Justices.
"The verdict is not reasonable because the grand justices said in April that Taiwanese citizens have the right to travel abroad and return to the country without first applying to the Ministry of the Interior," Huang said.
"As a result, I think I will apply for another interpretation from the Council of Grand Justices after I speak with my lawyer."
In the meantime, Huang said that he will complete his four-month sentence instead of paying the fine.
When reviewing Huang's case, Tsai argued that Article 3-1 of the National Security Law is unconstitutional, so he filed the request to apply for an interpretation on behalf of Huang on Sept. 5, 2000.
On April 18 this year, grand justices agreed that the Immigration Law (入出國及移民法), which was passed in 2000 and gives everyone with household registration in Taiwan the right to travel freely, supersedes the National Security Law.
However, the interpretation applies only to those convicted under Article 3-1 of the National Security Law for crimes committed since May 21, 2000, when the Immigration Law came into effect. According to the grand justices, Huang's case is not one of them.
Huang was a key figure in the assassination attempt on then president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) in New York in 1970, for which he was blacklisted by the government.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
The Sports Administration yesterday demanded an apology from the national table tennis association for barring 17-year-old Yeh Yi-tian (葉伊恬) from competing in the upcoming World Table Tennis (WTT) United States Smash tournament in Las Vegas this July. The sports agency said in a statement that the Chinese Taipei Table Tennis Association (CTTTA) must explain to the public why it withdrew Yeh from the WTT tournament in Las Vegas. The sports agency said it contacted the association to express its disapproval of the decision-making process after receiving a complaint from Yeh’s coach, Chuang
Control Yuan Secretary-General Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋) tendered his resignation last night, admitting that he had misused a government vehicle, as reported by media. His resignation was immediately accepted by the Control Yuan. In a statement explaining why he had resigned, Lee apologized for using a Control Yuan vehicle to transport his dog to a pet grooming salon on May 20. The issue first came to light late last month, when TVBS News reported that Lee had instructed his driver to take the dog to the salon. The news channel broadcast photos that it said were taken by an unnamed whistle-blower, which purportedly showed the
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
RSS