The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) announced a draft bill on Thursday on the prevention of human trafficking.
“The legislation will facilitate a crackdown on human trafficking, better protect the rights of victims in the human trade and improve Taiwan’s international image,” the ministry said in a press statement.
The draft bill clearly defines what constitutes human trafficking, including recruitment, transportation and harboring of people for the purposes of slavery, forced labor or servitude. The bill states that those convicted of involvement in human trafficking operations should be given the severest possible penalties in accordance with the law.
For example, those who are convicted of dealing in forced labor, including bonded labor or debt bondage, can be sentenced to a maximum of seven years in prison and a fine of up to NT$3 million (US$90,000).
A longer prison term can be given to any public servant found guilty of covering up such criminal acts, the draft bill says.
An official of the ministry’s National Immigration Agency (NIA) said the harsher punitive measures were designed as a deterrent.
The draft bill also outlines the powers and duties of government agencies in charge of combating human trafficking, as well as protective and sheltering measures for victims in human trafficking cases.
Human trafficking has emerged as a crucial challenge faced by the international community in the era of globalization, the official said, adding that Taiwan is one of the major countries to have seen an influx of migrant workers and immigrant spouses from Southeast Asia.
“Against this backdrop, Taiwan has become a popular destination for criminal rings engaged in the human trade or trafficking in recent years, tarnishing the nation’s image abroad and affecting Taiwan’s public order and human rights records,” the official said.
To cope with the situation, the official said, the government decided to enact a new set of regulations to facilitate its fight against human trafficking.
Since July last year, he said, the ministry and the NIA have convened many rounds of cross-department meetings to draft the bill, which will be sent to the Executive Yuan for further review before being referred to the Legislative Yuan for priority screening and approval.
“It is hoped that the bill can clear the legislative floor during the legislative session that will begin in mid-September,” the official said.
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