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9mo ago

Taiwan Court Upholds Death Penalty for Exceptional Cases

The Constitutional Court limits capital punishment to the most serious crimes, emphasizing strict legal safeguards.

Taiwan’s Constitutional Court is seen at the Judicial Yuan in Taipei on Sept. 20, 2024.
Members of the Taiwan constitutional court hold a press conference after the ruling on the constitutionality of the death penalty in a case brought by 37 people currently on death row, in Taipei, Taiwan September 20, 2024. REUTERS/Ann Wang
Hsinyi Lin (C), executive director of the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, speaks while representatives from the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty and human rights groups listen during a press conference after the Taiwan Constitutional Court ruled to retain death penalty, in Taipei on September 20, 2024. (Photo by Yan ZHAO / AFP) (Photo by YAN ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images)

Overview

  • The ruling follows a petition by 37 death row inmates challenging the constitutionality of the death penalty.
  • Capital punishment remains popular in Taiwan, with around 80% public support.
  • The court stressed that the death penalty should only apply to the most severe crimes and under strict scrutiny.
  • Executions have been rare in recent years, with only two carried out since 2016.
  • The ruling prohibits the death penalty for defendants with mental conditions that affect their competency for execution.