¡@
It is time to reconsider the draft act
on judges
By Lee Yung-ran §õ¥ÃµM
Sunday, Jul 25, 2010, Page 8
Taiwan was shocked last week by the arrest and detention of
three High Court judges and a district prosecutor on suspicion of having taken
bribes during the trial of a former legislator. The incident has once again
brought to the fore questions about the conduct and general discipline of
judicial officials and it has badly undermined public confidence in Taiwan¡¦s
judiciary, which it has to be said was not particularly high to begin with.
The judicial system is the last line of defense for justice in any country. As
such, judges are supposed to adjudicate cases fairly and objectively, and in an
upright and incorruptible manner, neither wronging the innocent nor sparing the
guilty, so as to uphold truth and justice.
Public trust in the government is what guarantees social harmony, shores up the
foundation of the state and maintains peace and security. As Article 80 of the
Constitution clearly states: ¡§Judges shall be above partisanship and shall, in
accordance with the law, hold trials independently, free from any interference.¡¨
The state has done what it can to improve High Court judges¡¦ pay and conditions
so as to ensure the quality of adjudication. Its purpose in doing so is to
maintain a fair, honest, clean and effective judicial system.
However, recent years have seen a number of concerning incidents of judicial
misconduct and these make it all the more urgent that the judicial system be
reformed and strengthened as a priority, because that is the only way to restore
public faith.
In the past allegations of bribery have mainly involved individuals, whereas in
the current case judges are being accused of ¡§collective bribe-taking¡¨ ¡X
something previously unheard of. The incident not only casts doubt on the
fairness of adjudication, it has also embarassed and tarnished the reputation of
the entire judiciary.
For many years, the most common complaint about judicial officials is that too
much power is concentrated in their hands without any checks and balances. It
was for this reason that 20 years ago the Judicial Yuan proposed a draft act on
judges, including a stipulation that judges found to be unfit for their posts
should be dismissed. It was a good idea at the time and has only become more so
over time. Unfortunately, the bill has been gathering dust in the legislature
ever since. In consequence, mechanisms for overseeing judges and weeding out the
bad ones have never really got beyond the drawing board.
Judicial reform is not just a slogan. It requires iron-willed determination and
a proper system of oversight. The most important task right now is to revive the
draft act on judges and to make sure it has teeth. Judges and prosecutors need
to be regulalry evaluated and those who are unfit to serve in such lofty
positions dismissed forthwith. Judicial officials are the guardians of justice
and human rights. They should not be allowed to sacrifice the long-term
interests and prestige of the nation on the altar of their own own selfish
purposes.
Citizens expect judges to be upstanding, incorruptible and able to distinguish
clearly between right and wrong. If judges themselves go cannot tell the
difference, how can they be expected to keep other people on the straight and
narrow?
Rectifying judicial practice and upholding the quality of adjudication are
important tasks that need to be dealt with now. Everyone is waiting to see what
the Judicial Yuan will do to restore public confidence in Taiwanese justice.
Lee Yung-ran is a lawyer and president of the Chinese
Association for Human Rights.
¡@
|