There is no urgency to resolve the question of whether to abolish the death penalty, Minister of Justice Chiu Tai-san (邱太三) said yesterday, in response to questions in the legislature about his stance on the issue.
Chiu said Taiwan maintains the death penalty — both in law and in practice — and his ministry has decided to continue carrying out the execution of death row inmates after grave consideration.
However, Taiwan is aware of the views of the international community, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights — two international human rights covenants that Taiwan ratified in 2009, he said.
Any move to abolish capital punishment would be a complex process, Chiu said, adding that it has long been a contentious issue.
“I hope consensus can be forged through dialogue,” Chiu said at a legislative meeting, when asked whether his ministry planned to push for the abolition of the death penalty.
Ten days before Chiu took office on May 20, former minister of justice Luo Ying-shay (羅瑩雪) ordered the execution of one of the 43 death row inmates. Cheng Chieh (鄭捷), who killed four people on a Taipei mass rapid transit train in 2014, was executed by three gunshots to the back on May 11.
In other developments, Chiu expressed support for a proposed same-sex partnership act.
Chiu made the remarks when answering questions from Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Yu Mei-nu (尤美女).
Chiu said that the ministry has commissioned Tsinghua University to conduct an impact study, adding that his ministry would propose its version of the draft act in a timely manner.
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
UNKNOWN TRAJECTORY: The storm could move in four possible directions, with the fourth option considered the most threatening to Taiwan, meteorologist Lin De-en said A soon-to-be-formed tropical storm east of the Philippines could begin affecting Taiwan on Wednesday next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The storm, to be named Fung-wong (鳳凰), is forecast to approach Taiwan on Tuesday next week and could begin affecting the weather in Taiwan on Wednesday, CWA forecaster Huang En-hung (黃恩鴻) said, adding that its impact might be amplified by the combined effect with the northeast monsoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the system’s center was 2,800km southeast of Oluanbi (鵝鑾鼻). It was moving northwest at 18kph. Meteorologist Lin De-en (林得恩) on Facebook yesterday wrote that the would-be storm is surrounded by
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