The Ministry of Justice is considering increasing penalties for child abuse, including eliminating the potential of parole for cases resulting in the deaths of children under seven years old, Minister of Justice Cheng Ming-chien (鄭銘謙) said today.
Cheng was responding to questions from lawmakers about increasing penalties for child abuse, after two sisters were sentenced last month for causing the death of a one-year-old boy nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴).
The Legislative Yuan’s Judiciary and Organic Laws Committee today invited officials from the Ministry of Justice and Judicial Yuan to give a report and answer questions about the factors that influence sentencing guidelines with regard to the death penalty.
Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
These factors include statements from the victims or relatives, the possibility of re-education or rehabilitation, and Article 57 of the Criminal Code, which lists 10 items that sentencing can take into account, such as motive, education level and the offender’s attitude after the crime.
Lawmakers cited the Kai Kai case as a reason to increase child abuse penalties, after an online petition on the matter received thousands of signatures.
The ministry held a consultation meeting with a criminal law research team yesterday and is to hold another tomorrow, soliciting opinions from all sectors, Cheng said.
However, any amendments proposed would increase penalties, he added.
The ministry has a “zero tolerance” view on child abuse, and would revise the law with this principle in mind, Cheng said.
The ministry is also considering eliminating the possibility of parole for those convicted of abuse for those under seven years old that results in the child’s death, he added.
Many of those who signed the petition want to see the Constitutional Court repeal its judgement on the death penalty handed down in September last year, Taiwan People's Party Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌) said.
That judgement ruled that the death penalty is constitutional only for “the most serious” crimes that result in death.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲) questioned the “vague wording” of the guidelines, and asked if there were standards for items such as potential for re-education.
This case touches on constitutional powers and previous judgements, Judicial Yuan Deputy Secretary-General Wang Mei-ying (王梅英) said, adding that the Judicial Yuan respects the rulings of the grand justices.
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