Deputy Minister of Justice Chen Shou-huang (陳守煌) yesterday told the legislature that while the ministry could carry out another execution “very soon,” it would take the national interest into consideration and respect the views expressed by a group of experts who are reviewing Taiwan’s human rights situation.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Te-fu (林德福) told a meeting of the legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday that two members of an international committee responsible for inspecting Taiwan’s first national human rights report had sent a letter to President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) saying they hoped the ministry would not carry out executions before the committee completes its review of the report, which is due by the end of February.
The two members — Manfred Nowak, professor of International Law and Human Rights at Vienna University, and Eibe Riedel, a member of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights — are part of a committee of international human rights experts invited by the Ministry of Justice to review the report.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times
Lin asked whether the ministry had delayed executions and if so, when it intended to carry out the next round of executions.
Chen said there are currently 61 prisoners on death row, and that the ministry would carry out an execution “very soon,” possibly before the end of February.
Chen added that the ministry follows its own timetable in carrying out capital punishment, but respects the suggestions made by rights experts.
At a separate setting, Peng Kun-yeh (彭坤業), director of the ministry’s Legal System Department, said that if Nowak and Riedel were to withdraw from the committee, other members would follow suit.
Meanwhile, Control Yuan President Wang Chien-shien spoke out against abolishing the death penalty, saying that as a sovereign nation, Taiwan should not be swayed by humanitarianism in this regard.
Wang contacted reporters yesterday to offer his views on the matter.
“The Republic of China [Taiwan] is a sovereign, independent nation. It shouldn’t be led by the nose by world humanitarian groups over the death penalty issue. Regarding human rights issues discussed in the world, we follow global norms when we consider they are right, but we do not follow those which do not fit the needs of the nation,” Wang said.
To do away with capital punishment is not something the Taiwanese government has to do to demonstrate that it values human rights, Wang said.
“Every country has its own situation. Countries opposing the use of the death penalty represent a minority opinion in the world. A world without capital punishment would become more chaotic and more people would be harmed,” he said.
The possibility that innocent people could be executed because of errors in the criminal justice system is not a good reason to scrap the death sentence, Wang said.
“Does it make sense that we introduce a ban on stewed meat just because there was a report about a person choking to death after eating a piece of stewed meat?” he asked.
“People in favor of abolishing the death penalty have promoted the rights of prisoners and argued that they have the right to life, but what about justice for the victims?” Wang asked.
Wang said he views human nature as depraved, “just like venomous serpents and fierce beasts.”
“Education, religion and legal punishment all help deter crimes. If the death penalty is abolished, there will be more innocent people affected by crime,” he said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old