People who use force against railway personnel in an illegal manner would face a maximum three-year sentence and a maximum fine of NT$300,000 (US$9,569), according to proposed amendments to the Railway Act (鐵路法) that advanced at the legislature yesterday.
Violence against Taiwan Railway Corp (台鐵) personnel has increased from two incidents each in 2022 and 2023 to seven last year and 14 this year as of Nov. 15, company data showed.
The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) proposed adding article 68-4, which would require Taiwan Railway to take measures to ensure employee safety while on duty.
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Failure to do so would result in a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$300,000, with consecutive fines if improvements are not made on time, the proposed changes say.
The TPP also proposed adding article 67-3, which would stipulate a maximum three-year prison term and a fine of up to NT$300,000 for anyone who uses force, threats, coercion or other illegal means to prevent railway personnel from carrying out their duties.
Should such acts result in death, the perpetrator would be handed a sentence of seven years to life, while severe injury would require a three-to-10-year prison term, the amendments say.
A proposal by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) said that preventing railway personnel from carrying out their duties by force, threats, coercion or other illegal means would carry a minimum sentence of one year and a maximum of five, alongside a maximum fine of NT$10 million.
In the event such acts result in death, the KMT proposal was the same as the TPP proposal.
If the act results in severe injury, the perpetrator would face a maximum sentence of 10 years and a minimum of five years, the KMT proposal said.
Railway workers can refuse to provide service to people with a record of assault against company personnel, the KMT proposal said.
The KMT also proposed an amendment to Article 72.
An assailant should be stopped by police and handed over to judicial personnel for further investigation if their actions might result in criminal charges, the amendments said.
Railway Bureau Director Yang Cheng-chun (楊正君) said that the amendments would improve safety for railway personnel and the Ministry of Transportation and Communications supported the proposed changes.
Fines should be capped at NT$300,000 and prison sentences at three years, Yang said, adding that amendments to Article 72 might conflict with the Code of Criminal Procedure (刑事訴訟法).
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