The Model Asian Court of Human Rights is slated to take place in Taipei this weekend.
Hsu Yu-hsiu (許玉秀), a former grand justice and initiator of the event, on July 11 said that Taiwan is more than qualified to head the establishment of a court of human rights in Asia, as Europe, Africa and the Americas have already done.
Taiwan has an open society, an abundance of legal talent and a desire for peace, she said.
A human rights court could serve as a conflict resolution mechanism that would facilitate cooperation and peace in the Asia-Pacific region, Hsu said.
While South Korea is another leader in promoting human rights, Taiwan’s legalization of same-sex marriage has impressed many observers and freedom of speech is another advantage the nation has, she said.
An international court of human rights would be authorized to deliberate on issues of fact and law, order the release of convicts and fine a government for violating the rights of its citizens, she said.
The model court could exert real influence on Asian courts, despite lacking the authority to issue legally binding verdicts, she added.
The model court is to hold a mock trial of the case of Taiwanese death row inmate Chiou Ho-shun (邱和順).
Chiou was sentenced to death in 1989 for a robbery-murder and an abduction-murder he allegedly committed with coconspirators a year earlier, Hsu said.
The Taiwan High Court upheld the verdict in 2011 without the possibility of appeal, she said.
The case is controversial because of its lack of forensic evidence, which the prosecution admitted to having misplaced, and because of Chiou’s claims that police obtained his confession using torture, she said, adding that the allegation was later corroborated by a retired officer.
The body of one of the victims was never found.
Chiou maintains his innocence, Hsu added.
Tropical depression TD22, which was over waters south of the Ryukyu Islands, is likely to develop into a tropical storm by this morning and pose a significant threat to Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The depression is likely to strengthen into a tropical storm named Krathon as it moves south and then veers north toward waters off Taiwan’s eastern coast, CWA forecaster Hsu Chung-yi (徐仲毅) said. Given the favorable environmental conditions for its development, TD22’s intensity would reach at least typhoon levels, Hsu said. As of 2pm yesterday, the tropical depression was about 610km east-southeast of Taiwan proper’s
Four factors led to the declaration of a typhoon day and the cancelation of classes yesterday, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. Work and classes were canceled across Taiwan yesterday as Typhoon Krathon was forecast to make landfall in the southern part of the country. However, northern Taiwan had only heavy winds during the day and rain in the evening, leading some to criticize the cancelation. Speaking at a Taipei City Council meeting yesterday, Chiang said the decision was made due to the possibility of landslides and other problems in mountainous areas, the need to avoid a potentially dangerous commute for those
Typhoon Krathon, a military airshow and rehearsals for Double Ten National Day celebrations might disrupt flights at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in the first 10 days of next month, the airport’s operator said yesterday. Taoyuan International Airport Corp said in a statement that it has established a response center after the Central Weather Administration issued a sea warning for Krathon, and urged passengers to remain alert to the possibility of disruptions caused by the storm in the coming days. Flight schedules might also change while the air force conducts rehearsals and holds a final airshow for Double Ten National Day, it added. Although
SEMICONDUCTORS: TSMC is able to produce 2-nanometer chips and mass production is expected to be launched by next year, the company said In leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing China is behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) by at least 10 years as the Taiwanese chipmaker’s manufacturing process has progressed to 2 nanometers, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Minister Wu Cheng-wen (吳誠文) said yesterday. Wu made the remarks during a meeting of the Legislative Yuan’s Education and Culture Committee when asked by Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Wu Pei-yi (吳沛憶) about a report published in August by the Chinese version of Nikkei Asia that said Taiwan’s lead over China in chip manufacturing was only three years. She asked Wu Cheng-wen if the report was an accurate
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