台灣人權促進會 Taiwan Association for Human Rights

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* TAHR has worked since 1995 to exonerate Su Chien-ho, Liu Bin-lang and Chuang Lin-hsun, three young death row inmates convicted of murder also known as the “Hsichih Trio”. In this notorious case, the Taiwanese judicial system ignored numerous due process violations - including arbitrary arrest, illegal search, improperly admitted evidence, and the presumption of guilt - as well as indications of the use of torture to obtain confessions. TAHR’s continued campaigns, in coordination with domestic and overseas NGOs, have succeeded in bringing about repeated temporary stays of execution and finally a retrial, which opened in November 2000.

TAHR has consistently opposed capital punishment, and has pushed to enacting more reasonable procedures to ensure equity in Taiwan’s application of the death penalty, as a step towards eventual abolition.

TAHR has worked with other judicial reform associations to promote the establishment of a genuine legal assistance system; the bill they drafted in 2000 is awaiting consideration in the legislature.

In 1999, TAHR led the formation of a campaign with other domestic NGOs to urge the government to set up a national human rights commission in conformity with United Nations standards. The following year, the coalition drafted a bill to establish a commission, and TAHR co-hosted an international conference on the subject in early 2001. The idea has received support from various political leaders, and TAHR continues to push for its successful realization.

TAHR is lobbying to bring the International Bill of Human Rights into domestic legal force. Its call has been echoed by the government, and TAHR continues to work to hasten the process. In addition, TAHR has recommended the government to accede to other international instruments, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women; the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

TAHR publishes the annual Taiwan Human Rights Report, as well as an electronic newsletter, various articles, and the Taiwan Human Rights Quarterly (in Chinese), to spread understanding of domestic and international human rights conditions.

TAHR hosts training camps to promote human rights concepts and to train young people as future human rights workers, and it compiles, edits, and translates domestic and international curriculum materials for human rights education.

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The Taiwan Association for Human Rights is committed to:

Remaining independent from the government, all political parties, corporations, and other interest groups;
Promoting the spirit of human rights and enhancing human rights standards and protections;
Fighting for all people without regard for class, race, gender, religion, or nationality; and
Cooperating with NGOs worldwide to improve domestic and global human rights.

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Established on International Human Rights Day, December 10, 1984, TAHR is the oldest independent human rights organization in Taiwan. In its early years, TAHR operated within an environment of repression and fear. Chiang Kai-shek had imposed martial law on Taiwan in 1949, suspending the Constitution and subjecting thousands of individuals to illegal arrests, torture, imprisonment, and extrajudicial executions. The years just prior to TAHR’s formation witnessed a series of cases of governmental crackdown on dissenting voices, such as the Formosa Incident (1979), the Lin family murders (1980), and the murder of Chen Wen-cheng (1981). However, these tragedies only strengthened the resolve of the people to speak out and press for the realization of human rights, the rule of law, and democracy. In this period, TAHR fought for basic civil and political rights, together with the growing social and political opposition movements. Campaigns including freeing political prisoners; ending the practice of blacklisting; and demanding freedoms of speech, association, and assembly.

With the formation of the first genuine opposition party in 1986 and the lifting of martial law in 1987, Taiwan entered a new era. Government offices were opened to public elections and the rights to free expression, assembly, and association were gradually restored. TAHR’s campaigns in this transitional stage focused on the repeal or revision of remaining undemocratic laws and regulations, such as the National Security Law, the Parade and Assembly Law, the Civic Organizations Law, and restrictions on radio broadcasting, all of which continued to arbitrarily deprive people of basic civil rights.

Although Taiwan no longer holds political prisoners, TAHR continues to deal with the legacy of authoritarian rule. Rule of law, independence of the judiciary, and accountability of the police and military authorities remain elusive. Discrimination in many forms remains all too common. Public awareness about human rights - particularly about international human rights norms and mechanisms - is sorely lacking. Taiwan’s diplomatic isolation constitutes another significant obstacle in the promotion of human rights, insulating the government from external human rights monitoring and hindering exchanges with the international human rights community. Today, TAHR’s efforts focus on safeguarding due process of law and eliminating discrimination, as well as expanding the discourse of human rights to suit our increasingly complicated modern society.

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The Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) is a non-governmental organization committed to securing and protecting human rights from all forms of violation. TAHR believes that human rights, rule of law, and democracy are indivisible and interdependent. Without human rights, rule of law can easily degrade into rule by law, and democracy into a winner-take-all struggle.

TAHR’s campaigns, which aim to encourage grassroots support and advocacy, have focused on investigating individual human rights cases and assisting victims, monitoring the government’s policy-making and development, proposing legal and constitutional amendments so as to meet international human rights standards, and promoting human rights consciousness and education. In addition, TAHR actively participates in the international human rights community, strengthening its interaction and cooperative relationships with international NGOs.

How TAHR Functions

TAHR is governed by an Executive Board, elected by all TAHR members and divided into functional committees representing the major program and administrative activities of TAHR. The TAHR chairperson and vice-chairperson are both elected from within the board.
TAHR membership is open to the public.
Nearly all of TAHR’s funding comes from membership fees and individual donations.
TAHR maintains a very small secretariat, and it relies heavily on the efforts of volunteers.

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