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Referendum on death penalty touted
HAVE A SAY: After months of controversy surrounding the
continuation of the death penalty, a referendum has been proposed, prompting the
DPP to express its support
By Flora Wang
STAFF REPORTER
Monday, May 10, 2010, Page 1
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang (謝國樑) yesterday
proposed to resolve the death penalty controversy through a referendum.
Hsieh, head of the legislature’s Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes
Committee, said he would launch a proposal at the legislature to refer the issue
of abolishing capital punishment for review.
“Those who are in favor of abolishing the death penalty and those who are
against it have become polarized these days,” Hsieh told reporters, adding that
the issue could be put to a referendum because it fulfills the requirements of
the Referendum Act (公民投票法).
Article 16 of the Act authorizes the legislature to launch a referendum bid on
“issues that should be resolved through a plebiscite.”
Unlike plebiscite bids proposed by civic groups, the legislature would not need
to garner signatures and pass certain signature thresholds before the
referendum can be held. Instead, the Central Election Commission is obliged to
hold a referendum after a proposed bid clears the legislative floor.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Chai Trong-rong (蔡同榮) yesterday
said his caucus supports putting controversial issues through referendums.
However, he said the DPP caucus would not make a final decision on the matter
until the KMT lawmaker has put the proposal forward.
The issue of abolishing the death penalty came to the fore in March when
then-minister of justice Wang Ching-feng (王清峰) openly stated her objections to
capital punishment and said she would not approve any executions as minister.
Her statements led to public criticism, especially by victims’ families and
opposition legislators and Wang later resigned.
Minister of Justice Tseng Yung-fu (曾勇夫) has said he would approve the executions
of prisoners on death row if they have exhausted the appeals process.
On April, 30, four death row inmates were executed, the first time the death
penalty was carried out in Taiwan since December 2005.
The Ministry of Justice said the executions were carried out in accordance with
the law. It also said that in most public opinion polls, more than 70 percent of
respondents were against abolition.
The execution, however, drew outcries from human rights groups both at home and
abroad, which accused the ministry of “illegal” executions, while supporters of
the death penalty, including entertainer Pai Bing-bing (白冰冰), who lost her only
daughter to kidnappers, applauded the ministry’s move.
The EU has asked Taiwan to restore a de facto moratorium on the death penalty,
saying that the resumption of executions would affect Taiwan’s image.
“Taiwan is viewed by Europe as a place of democracy and respect for human
rights. Of course, resumption of the death penalty and executions will affect
this perception of Taiwan’s high standards of human rights,” Guy Ledoux, head of
the European Economic and Trade Office, said on Friday.
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