Lawmakers yesterday passed amendments to the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces (陸海空軍刑法) to toughen penalties for repeat drunk drivers and tighten rules covering the spread of rumors about the military.
Under the amendments, military personnel on parole or probation after being convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or narcotics and fatally injuring others would face a prison term of five years to life if they were found to have committed a second DUI offense within five years.
Repeat offenders who severely injure others during their probation period or while on parole would face a prison term of three to 10 years, the amendments state.
Photo: CNA
If the offenders were driving military or government-assigned vehicles at the time of the second offense, they would face 1.5 times the original punishment, the amendments state.
Lawmakers in May approved proposals to increase the penalties for civilians’ DUI offenses through a third reading on the legislative floor, but did not address penalties for military personnel at that time.
Yesterday’s amendments bring penalties for military personnel in line with those for civilians.
Meanwhile, a rule against military personnel spreading disinformation about the military has been bolstered to include those that relay rumors or false information.
If convicted, offenders would face a maximum prison term of three years, detention or a fine of up to NT$300,000.
The rule had previously only applied to those that had fabricated or disseminated such disinformation.
The amended provision stipulates that military personnel who spread rumors or false information about the military through television broadcasts, electronic communication or the Internet would face 1.5 times the original penalty.
The Executive Yuan, which sponsored the draft amendments regarding disinformation, said the rule previously did not cover people who pass on rumors and therefore was insufficient to curb the spread of fake news.
The amendment targets various formats of disinformation, including text, pictures and footage, it said.
The morale among military personnel would be seriously affected if false information were spread through TV, electronic communication and the Internet, which have a wide coverage, so it is necessary to stiffen penalties for such actions, it said.
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