The preparatory committee for a national conference on judicial reform will officially begin the second stage of reforms, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday, adding that compared with the first stage, the second will endeavor to incorporate more public opinion rather than being dominated by experts.
Tsai made the remarks at the preparatory committee, which held its first meeting yesterday at the Presidential Office Building.
Tsai said her intention was not to eliminate the contributions made by the judicial sector in first-stage reforms, but that public input on such reforms has never stopped and should be included.
Tsai said she wants to make three points clear.
First, she said the public and experts in various fields need to participate in the reforms for them to be successful. Judicial reform is a complicated process that spans multiple professions and deeply affects people’s rights; as such the reformation of the judiciary should not include only those educated in law, but the public at large and other professionals.
Second, the reforms aim to create a judiciary for the people, a new system that breaks down the walls precluding public participation, Tsai said, adding that the reforms ultimately seek to establish a judiciary that is professional, transparent, capable of protecting human rights and social justice and able to respond to the needs of the people.
The government is already pushing to make public the basic information of judges and their respective duties, and the inclusion of oral defenses when the Supreme Court is reviewing highly controversial cases, Tsai said.
Third, the preparatory committee was established to hear many opinions and invite greater public participation, Tsai said, adding that the government welcomes all opinions through any channel at all times.
The nation, 17 years ago, held its first national conference on judicial reform, during which legal experts decided the direction for the first stage of judicial reform, Tsai said.
This second national conference on judicial reform has only one goal: to promote second-stage reforms and include public opinion in the process, Tsai said.
The second national conference on judicial reform is to be held in May or June next year, Tsai said.
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