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.
Taiwan is to have nine extended holidays next year, led by a nine-day Lunar New Year break, the Cabinet announced yesterday. The nine-day Lunar New Year holiday next year matches the length of this year’s holiday, which featured six extended holidays. The increase in extended holidays is due to the Act on the Implementation of Commemorative and Festival Holidays (紀念日及節日實施條例), which was passed early last month with support from the opposition Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and Taiwan People’s Party. Under the new act, the day before Lunar New Year’s Eve is also a national holiday, and Labor Day would no longer be limited
COMMITMENTS: The company had a relatively low renewable ratio at 56 percent and did not have any goal to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, the report said Pegatron Corp ranked the lowest among five major final assembly suppliers in progressing toward Apple Inc’s commitment to be 100 percent carbon neutral by 2030, a Greenpeace East Asia report said yesterday. While Apple has set the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy across its entire business, supply chain and product lifecycle by 2030, carbon emissions from electronics manufacturing are rising globally due to increased energy consumption, it said. Given that carbon emissions from its supply chain accounted for more than half of its total emissions last year, Greenpeace East Asia evaluated the green transition performance of Apple’s five largest final
Taiwan is to extend its visa-waiver program for Philippine passport holders for another year, starting on Aug. 1, Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said on Friday. Lin made the announcement during a reception in Taipei marking the 127th anniversary of Philippine independence and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taiwan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The decision reflected Taiwan’s commitment to deepening exchanges with the Philippines, the statement cited Lin as saying, adding that it was a key partner under the New Southbound Policy launched in 2016. Lin also expressed hope
Temperatures in New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) climbed past 37°C yesterday, as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) issued heat alerts for 16 municipalities, warning the public of intense heat expected across Taiwan. The hottest location in Taiwan was in Sindian, where the mercury reached 37.5°C at about 2pm, according to CWA data. Taipei’s Shilin District (士林) recorded a temperature of 37.4°C at noon, Taitung County’s Jinfeng Township (金峰) at 12:50 pm logged a temperature of 37.4°C and Miaoli County’s Toufen Township (頭份) reached 36.7°C at 11:40am, the CWA said. The weather agency yesterday issued a yellow level information notice for Taipei, New
RSS