The Constitutional Court in April is to hear oral arguments on whether the death penalty is constitutional, and a ruling is to be made in three months, with an extension of two months allowed if needed, it said on Thursday.
Thirty-seven death-row prisoners have filed a petition for a ruling on whether the death penalty is unconstitutional based on the principles of the right to life, human dignity and proportionality.
The Constitutional Court said that it would review a petition filed in 2022 by Wang Xin-fu (王信福), the oldest man on death row in Taiwan, along with related cases filed by death-row prisoners, in an oral argument session to be held from 10am to 4pm on April 23.
Photo: Taipei Times file
The arguments could center on two questions.
The first is whether the death penalty, a legally prescribed punishment, is constitutional.
The court said it wants to clarify whether, in addition to the right to life, the death penalty infringes upon other rights protected by the Constitution, such as the right not to be tortured or the right to human dignity; whether the pursued goals of the death penalty system are constitutional; and whether there are other means of punishment and supplementary measures available if the death penalty is deemed unconstitutional.
The second question is if the death penalty is determined to be constitutional, whether the court should limit the types of crimes that it can be applied to.
The court said it would also seek clarity on whether the crimes that the petitioners were sentenced to death for are still constitutional and why, and whether the scope of criminal death sentences should be limited, as Article 19 of the Criminal Code stipulates that an offense is not punishable if it is committed by a person who has a mental disorder or disability, and the punishment may be reduced as a result of their capacity for judgement.
Under the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (憲法訴訟法), the verdict should be pronounced within three months after an oral argument, and an extension of two months is allowed when necessary.
The cases originally included three other death-row prisoners, but they had died of illnesses in detention centers, so their cases would not be reviewed this time.
As Judicial Vice President Tsai Chiung-tun (蔡炯燉), Grand Justice Tsai Tsai-chen (蔡彩貞) and Grand Justice Greg Yo (尤伯祥) have participated in the trials of death-row prisoners, they would not participate in the hearing, the Constitutional Court said.
NEXT GENERATION: The four plants in the Central Taiwan Science Park, designated Fab 25, would consist of four 1.4-nanometer wafer manufacturing plants, TSMC said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電) plans to begin construction of four new plants later this year, with the aim to officially launch production of 2-nanometer semiconductor wafers by late 2028, Central Taiwan Science Park Bureau director-general Hsu Maw-shin (許茂新) said. Hsu made the announcement at an event on Friday evening celebrating the Central Taiwan Science Park’s 22nd anniversary. The second phase of the park’s expansion would commence with the initial construction of water detention ponds and other structures aimed at soil and water conservation, Hsu said. TSMC has officially leased the land, with the Central Taiwan Science Park having handed over the
AUKUS: The Australian Ambassador to the US said his country is working with the Pentagon and he is confident that submarine issues will be resolved Australian Ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd on Friday said that if Taiwan were to fall to China’s occupation, it would unleash China’s military capacities and capabilities more broadly. He also said his country is working with the Pentagon on the US Department of Defense’s review of the AUKUS submarine project and is confident that all issues raised will be resolved. Rudd, who served as Australian prime minister from 2007 to 2010 and for three months in 2013, made the remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado and stressed the longstanding US-Australia alliance and his close relationship with the US Undersecretary
‘WORLD WAR III’: Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said the aid would inflame tensions, but her amendment was rejected 421 votes against six The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for fiscal 2026, which includes US$500 million for Taiwan. The bill, which totals US$831.5 billion in discretionary spending, passed in a 221-209 vote. According to the bill, the funds for Taiwan would be administered by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency and would remain available through Sept. 30, 2027, for the Taiwan Security Cooperation Initiative. The legislation authorizes the US Secretary of Defense, with the agreement of the US Secretary of State, to use the funds to assist Taiwan in procuring defense articles and services, and military training. Republican Representative
TAIWAN IS TAIWAN: US Representative Tom Tiffany said the amendment was not controversial, as ‘Taiwan is not — nor has it ever been — part of Communist China’ The US House of Representatives on Friday passed an amendment banning the US Department of Defense from creating, buying or displaying any map that shows Taiwan as part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The “Honest Maps” amendment was approved in a voice vote on Friday as part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 fiscal year. The amendment prohibits using any funds from the act to create, buy or display maps that show Taiwan, Kinmen, Matsu, Penghu, Wuciou (烏坵), Green Island (綠島) or Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼) as part of the PRC. The act includes US$831.5 billion in
RSS