A German man convicted of drug trafficking in Taiwan was transferred back to his home country on Thursday to serve the remainder of his prison term.
He is the second German national jailed in Taiwan to be transferred to serve the rest of his sentence in his home country since 2013, when the two countries signed an agreement on the transfer of prisoners.
The man was sentenced in 2013 to 16 years in prison and began serving his jail term in Taiwan that same year, a statement released yesterday by the Ministry of Justice said.
After Taiwan and Germany signed the prisoner transfer agreement in November 2013, the inmate filed an application in April 2014 to serve the rest of his prison term in his home country, the ministry said.
His application was approved by the Taiwanese and German judicial authorities after a review of his case, the ministry added.
A German court dealing with the case reduced the original 16-year sentence to 15 years (the maximum term of imprisonment in Germany), the ministry said.
“With the deduction of the time he has served in Taiwan, the man needs to serve about another 12 years in prison after returning to Germany,” the ministry’s statement said.
On Thursday, Taiwanese prosecutors handed the man over to three German police officers, who had traveled to Taiwan to take him back to Germany, it said.
The first transfer of a German prisoner from Taiwan to Germany occurred in February last year.
The transfer of prisoners to their home countries is a humane practice that makes it easier for their family members to visit them and helps them to better integrate back into society upon their release, the ministry said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”