Taiwan’s constitutional court ruled on Friday that death penalty is constitutional but only for the most serious crimes with the most rigorous legal scrutiny.
Petition Moved By 37 Persons On Death Row
The Court gave this ruling after considering a petition by 37 people who are on death row.
Despite Taiwan’s reputation as Asia’s most liberal democracy, the death penalty remains broadly popular according to opinion polls.
In recent years however, it has only rarely been carried out and violent crime is relatively low.
Right To Life Should Be Protected
The court, which began hearing the case in April, ruled that though the right to life should be protected.
Judge Hsu Tzong-li said that such protections are ” not absolute”.
Rights groups in Taiwan said while there were some positives in the ruling, Taiwan needed to put an end to all executions.
Taiwan was under martial law until 1987
Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, which was supporting the case, asked, “When will Taiwan finally abolish the death penalty?
It said that the road ahead will be even more difficult.
Ruling Is An Important Milestone
Still, the presidential office said the ruling was an important milestone in Taiwan’s judicial system.
It said that the president understands that there are multiple voices in our society.
The President’s office hoped that everyone would continue to have dialogue and communication with an attitude of understanding, tolerance and respect.
Kuomintang Expressed Regret
Taiwan’s largest opposition party, the Kuomintang expressed regret.
It said that the court was trying to in essence abolish the death penalty and was going against the feelings of most the island’s people.
EU Criticised Taiwan In 2020
Taiwan has found itself in hot water internationally before for executions.
In 2020, the government announced the execution of a man convicted of killing six people in an arson attack.
It made this announcement just hours after winning praise from the European Union for donating six million face masks during the COVID pandemic.
The European Union then criticised Taiwan and called for an end to executions.
Rights groups estimate that in neighbouring China, thousands of executions a year are carried out but its government does not publish figures.
(With Inputs From Reuters)
