There should be clear legal norms defining what constitutes “propaganda for war,” the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said yesterday, after three Chinese-born social media influencers had their residence permits revoked for advocating military “unification” with China.
Article 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights stipulates that “any propaganda for war shall be prohibited by law,” commission Vice Chairwoman Wang Yu-ling (王幼玲) said at a news conference in Taipei when asked about the deportations.
International reviews have suggested that such speech be legally defined, but Taiwan has yet to pass any legislation on the matter, she said.
Photo courtesy of the Taipei Photojournalists’ Association
The commission supports creating clear legal definitions, including that of “advocating,” “war” and “propaganda,” she said.
The law should also stipulate whether such contraventions should be prosecuted under the Civil Code or the Criminal Code, she added.
When revoking the influencers’ permits, the Ministry of the Interior cited the “risk to national security or social stability” in the Measures for the Permission of Family-based Residence, Long-term Residence and Settlement of People from the Mainland Area in the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民在台灣地區依親居留長期居留或定居許可辦法), Wang said.
As Taiwan is governed by the rule of law, the commission is to investigate whether these administrative measures took into account the principles of legal certainty, proper procedural measures and proportionality, she said.
The ministry should have a mechanism for scrutinizing such questions, she said, adding that the Chinese side is also pursuing administrative remedies.
After discussion, the commission has decided to collect independent assessments of the cases informed by international covenants, as they involve questions of national security, freedom of speech, the right for families to stay together and other important issues, Wang said.
Additional reporting by CNA
The inspection equipment and data transmission system for new robotic dogs that Taipei is planning to use for sidewalk patrols were developed by a Taiwanese company, the city’s New Construction Office said today, dismissing concerns that the China-made robots could pose a security risk. The city is bringing in smart robotic dogs to help with sidewalk inspections, Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Ssu-chuan (李四川) said on Facebook. Equipped with a panoramic surveillance system, the robots would be able to automatically flag problems and easily navigate narrow sidewalks, making inspections faster and more accurate, Lee said. By collecting more accurate data, they would help Taipei
TAKING STOCK: The USMC is rebuilding a once-abandoned airfield in Palau to support large-scale ground operations as China’s missile range grows, Naval News reported The US Marine Corps (USMC) is considering new sites for stockpiling equipment in the West Pacific to harden military supply chains and enhance mobility across the Indo-Pacific region, US-based Naval News reported on Saturday. The proposed sites in Palau — one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — and Australia would enable a “rapid standup of stored equipment within a year” of the program’s approval, the report said, citing documents published by the USMC last month. In Palau, the service is rebuilding a formerly abandoned World War II-era airfield and establishing ancillary structures to support large-scale ground operations “as China’s missile range and magazine
A 72-year-old man in Kaohsiung was sentenced to 40 days in jail after he was found having sex with a 67-year-old woman under a slide in a public park on Sunday afternoon. At 3pm on Sunday, a mother surnamed Liang (梁) was with her child at a neighborhood park when they found the man, surnamed Tsai (蔡), and woman, surnamed Huang (黃), underneath the slide. Liang took her child away from the scene, took photographs of the two and called the police, who arrived and arrested the couple. During questioning, Tsai told police that he had met Huang that day and offered to
A British man was arrested for attempting to smuggle 14.37kg of marijuana into Taiwan through Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei Customs said late yesterday. The man, who arrived from Bangkok at 9pm on Friday, was asked by customs officers to open his luggage during a random inspection, Taipei Customs said in a news release. The passenger, whose identity was not disclosed, refused to open his suitcase and tried to flee the restricted area. He was eventually subdued by three customs officials and an Aviation Police Bureau officer. A later search of his checked luggage uncovered 14.37kg of marijuana buds. The case was handed over