Minister of Justice Luo Ying-shay (羅瑩雪) yesterday confirmed that the ministry and the Executive Yuan are assessing the prospect of a general sentence reduction for prisoners, but opposition legislators and other commentators said the idea was a mistake.
Luo said that the Executive Yuan has asked the ministry to examine the possibility of cutting jail time for prisoners, while minimizing the impact on society.
She was responding to questions by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lu Hsueh-chang (呂學樟) at a meeting of the legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee.
Lu first proposed the move to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) on April 15, to coincide with this year’s events commemorating the 70-year anniversary of the end of World War II, and also to alleviate prison overcrowding.
Under Lu’s proposal, jail terms for minor offenses and lighter sentences are to be cut, leading to the release of some prisoners, while inmates over the age of 65, would also be freed, but the clemency would not extend to those who had been convicted of serious crimes.
However, critics said the proposal was misguided.
Judicial Reform Foundation chief executive Kao Jung-chih (高榮志) called it “a rash and ill-considered proposal.”
“How would commemorations for the end of World War II have anything to do with the situation of Taiwan’s judiciary system and correctional facilities? This is just ridiculous,” Kao said.
“If the move was aimed at the prison crowding situation, then it should look at those serving life terms and long sentences. Luo was approaching the issue the wrong way. She seemed not to understand the main issues at correctional facilities,” Kao said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) criticized Ma and the KMT for advancing the proposal.
“People will think it is in preparation for next year’s elections. Or maybe the sentence reduction is for Ma’s own consideration with an eye on possible criminal proceedings against him when he finishes his presidential term next year,” Huang said.
DPP Legislator Wu Yi-chen (吳宜臻) said she was concerned what the impact of such a move would have on society.
“In our nation’s experience on general amnesties and sentence reductions, the recidivism rate was high, especially for those with lighter sentences.” she said.
The proposal to reduce jail terms would not achieve any positive outcome on the rehabilitation of criminals and it would not mitigate the prison overcrowding situation, she said.
“The government must examine the high rate of recidivism among released criminals. There is also the issue of ‘restorative justice’ for victims and their families. There are also societal concerns for public safety and a rising crime rate. If these issues are not addressed, then the move shows the actions of an irresponsible government,” Wu said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), spokeswoman Yang Chih-yu (楊智伃) and Legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) would be summoned by police for questioning for leading an illegal assembly on Thursday evening last week, Minister of the Interior Liu Shyh-fang (劉世芳) said today. The three KMT officials led an assembly outside the Taipei City Prosecutors’ Office, a restricted area where public assembly is not allowed, protesting the questioning of several KMT staff and searches of KMT headquarters and offices in a recall petition forgery case. Chu, Yang and Hsieh are all suspected of contravening the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) by holding
PRAISE: Japanese visitor Takashi Kubota said the Taiwanese temple architecture images showcased in the AI Art Gallery were the most impressive displays he saw Taiwan does not have an official pavilion at the World Expo in Osaka, Japan, because of its diplomatic predicament, but the government-backed Tech World pavilion is drawing interest with its unique recreations of works by Taiwanese artists. The pavilion features an artificial intelligence (AI)-based art gallery showcasing works of famous Taiwanese artists from the Japanese colonial period using innovative technologies. Among its main simulated displays are Eastern gouache paintings by Chen Chin (陳進), Lin Yu-shan (林玉山) and Kuo Hsueh-hu (郭雪湖), who were the three young Taiwanese painters selected for the East Asian Painting exhibition in 1927. Gouache is a water-based
Taiwan would welcome the return of Honduras as a diplomatic ally if its next president decides to make such a move, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said yesterday. “Of course, we would welcome Honduras if they want to restore diplomatic ties with Taiwan after their elections,” Lin said at a meeting of the legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, when asked to comment on statements made by two of the three Honduran presidential candidates during the presidential campaign in the Central American country. Taiwan is paying close attention to the region as a whole in the wake of a
OFF-TARGET: More than 30,000 participants were expected to take part in the Games next month, but only 6,550 foreign and 19,400 Taiwanese athletes have registered Taipei city councilors yesterday blasted the organizers of next month’s World Masters Games over sudden timetable and venue changes, which they said have caused thousands of participants to back out of the international sporting event, among other organizational issues. They also cited visa delays and political interference by China as reasons many foreign athletes are requesting refunds for the event, to be held from May 17 to 30. Jointly organized by the Taipei and New Taipei City governments, the games have been rocked by numerous controversies since preparations began in 2020. Taipei City Councilor Lin Yen-feng (林延鳳) said yesterday that new measures by
RSS