The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday appealed the sentence handed down last month to former television personality Mickey Huang (黃子佼) for purchasing child sexual abuse material.
Huang, a well-known personality on Taiwanese television screens for three decades until allegations of sexual offenses surfaced in 2023, was given a one-and-a-half-year prison term that could be suspended for four years.
Prosecutors argued that Huang’s actions seriously harmed the physical and mental development of children and teenagers, and therefore he should not receive a suspended sentence.
Photo: CNA
Granting a suspended sentence on the grounds that he had reached settlements with the victims and paid compensation was an incorrect application of the law, they said.
Huang was found guilty by the High Court on Nov. 25 of purchasing 2,341 sexually explicit videos and images involving 37 minors aged 10 to 17 at the time, contravening the Child and Youth Sexual Exploitation Prevention Act (兒童及少年性剝削防制條例) and the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法).
The court sentenced Huang under the harsher penalty provisions of the latter act.
However, considering Huang had no previous criminal record and reached settlements with the victims, the court granted him a suspended sentence, and required him to perform 180 hours of community service and attend three legal education sessions.
Chinese spouse and influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China videos that threaten national security, the National Immigration Agency confirmed today. Guan Guan has said many controversial statements in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” and expressing hope for expedited reunification. The agency last year received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification. After verifying the reports, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and explain her actions. Guan
The Kaohsiung Tourism Bureau audited six hotels in an effort to prevent price gouging ahead of Korean band BTS’ concert tour in the city scheduled for Nov. 19, 21 and 22 this year. The bureau on Friday said that the audits — conducted in response to allegations of unfair pricing posted on social media — found no wrongdoing. These establishments included the local branches of Chateau de Chine, Hotel Nikko, My Humble House, and Grand Hai Lai, it said, adding that the Consumer Protection Commission would have penalized price gougers had the accusations been substantiated. The bureau said the Tourism Development Act
BACK TO WINTER: A strong continental cold air mass would move south on Tuesday next week, bringing colder temperatures to northern and central Taiwan A tropical depression east of the Philippines could soon be upgraded to be the first tropical storm of this year, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the next cold air mass is forecast to arrive on Monday next week. CWA forecaster Cheng Jie-ren (鄭傑仁) said the first tropical depression of this year is over waters east of the Philippines, about 1,867km southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), and could strengthen into Tropical Storm Nokaen by early today. The system is moving slowly from northwest to north, and is expected to remain east of the Philippines with little chance of affecting Taiwan,
GIVE AND TAKE: Blood demand continues to rise each year, while fewer young donors are available due to the nation’s falling birthrate, a doctor said Blood donors can redeem points earned from donations to obtain limited edition Formosan black bear travel mugs, the Kaohsiung Blood Center said yesterday, as it announced a goal of stocking 20,000 units of blood prior to the Lunar New Year. The last month of the lunar year is National Blood Donation Month, when local centers seek to stockpile blood for use during the Lunar New Year holiday. The blood demand in southern Taiwan — including Tainan and Kaohsiung, as well as Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Taitung counties — is about 2,000 units per day, the center said. The donation campaign aims to boost
RSS