Taiwan and the EU on Thursday concluded their first annual human rights consultations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei, with the EU praising the talks as “friendly, open and constructive.”
The talks focused on the abolition of the death penalty and the promotion of equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community.
The EU delegation was led by Mercedes Garcia Perez, head of the Division for Human Rights at the European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic service, while the Taiwan delegation was headed by Minister Without Portfolio Lo Ping-chen (羅秉成).
Photo: CNA
In a joint statement issued by the European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan — the EU’s representative office in Taiwan — the EU commended Taiwan’s far-reaching human rights agenda and encouraged the nation to actively communicate internationally about its human rights model.
According to Taiwanese officials familiar with preparations for the one-day dialogue, the abolition of the death penalty and LGBTI rights, which are a priority for the EU when it holds human rights dialogues with other nations, were raised by the EU, who reiterated the bloc’s longstanding position that the death penalty has no deterrent effect and is an inhumane form of punishment.
The EU is willing to share its experience on how to move toward abolishing capital punishment, it said.
Abolishing the death penalty has been a long-term goal in Taiwan since former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took office in 2008, but his administration broke the moratorium observed from 2006 to 2009, executing 33 death row inmates between 2010 and 2016.
No executions have been carried out since President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) came to office in May 2016, but she has avoided taking a position on the issue since 2015, when she said that abolition is contingent on social consensus and comprehensive complementary measures.
The EU congratulated Taiwan on its efforts to strive for greater gender equality and for establishing a LGBTI-friendly environment.
In May last year, the Council of Grand Justices ruled that the Civil Code’s prohibition of same-sex marriage violates the constitutional right to “freedom of marriage” and “right to equality” and instructed the government and the legislature to address the problem within two years.
Tsai has reaffirmed her campaign pledge to legalize same-sex marriage and to abide by the constitutional ruling, but LGBTI rights advocates have criticized her administration for its lack of proactive reform.
Taiwan asked the EU to invite more local representatives and LGBTI rights advocates to attend its related conferences and forums, the statement said.
At a discussion with young people and non-governmental organization workers on Thursday, Garcia Perez said that the EU welcomed the constitutional ruling and is hoping to see the legislature pass related laws.
The forum also focused on migrant workers’ rights, especially those in the fishing industry and domestic and industrial workers, and discussed the possibility of establishing a full-fledged national human rights institution.
Taiwan and the EU agreed to hold a second consultation next year in Brussels and to enhance cooperation on the topics raised.
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and
A wild live dugong was found in Taiwan for the first time in 88 years, after it was accidentally caught by a fisher’s net on Tuesday in Yilan County’s Fenniaolin (粉鳥林). This is the first sighting of the species in Taiwan since 1937, having already been considered “extinct” in the country and considered as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A fisher surnamed Chen (陳) went to Fenniaolin to collect the fish in his netting, but instead caught a 3m long, 500kg dugong. The fisher released the animal back into the wild, not realizing it was an endangered species at
RSS