Forty death row inmates might be executed
2010/05/29 13:42:59
The Constitutional Court on Friday rejected an application for a constitutional interpretation submitted by a group advocating the end of the death penalty, paving the way for the execution of the 40 convicts on death row. The first ones could be killed as soon as next week after four executions took place in late April — the first since December 2005.
The Judicial Yuan called a press conference later Friday to explain why the petition was not accepted.
The following are excerpts from local media coverage of the issue:
The Liberty Times:
At a seminar with Chiayi district prosecutors Friday, Minister of Justice Tseng Yung-fu said that there is no set timetable for the executions of the 40 death row prisoners. He added, however, that those who had committed the most brutal crimes would be a priority.
The Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, which filed for the constitutional interpretation on behalf of the 40 death row inmates, voiced regret at the Constitutional Court’s decision. The group said it will call a news conference next week to explain its position and declare its plans.
Meanwhile, it is worth noting that the Ministry of Justice has started working on a set of regulations on how executions are carried out. Read the rest of this entry »