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Activists protest political repression in Malaysia

Activists protest political repression in MalaysiaWed, Jul 06, 2011 -Taipei Times, Page 3　 Human rights advocates yesterday protested at the Malaysian representative office in Taiwan and submitted a letter demanding an end to what they called the mass repression of pro-reform activists in the Southeast Asian country. Led by Amnesty International (AI) Taiwan and the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR), the protesters urged the Malaysian government to release detained activists and respect freedom of speech and assembly for Malaysians. Since June 24, more than 100 activists have been arrested or questioned by police over their support of an election…

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Limiting the misuse of credit data

本文原為2011年5月10日，本會投書蘋果日報”應立法規範個資大怪獸—聯合徵信中心“一文，後經同意英文台北時報翻譯後，登載在2011年5月16日Taipei Times By Lai Chung-chiang and Chiu E-ling 賴中強，邱伊翎(Lai Chung-chiang is deputy president of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights. Chiu E-ling is the director of media and publication for the association.) TRANSLATED BY JULIAN CLEGG Following the signing of agreements with China about financial cooperation across the Taiwan Strait, Chinese financial concerns have been eagerly seeking ways to start up and develop business operations in Taiwan. The Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) has so far given its approval for four major Chinese banks — the Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China Construction Bank and China Merchants Bank — to…

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Latest executions : a huge step back for justice in Taiwan

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) Joint press release Latest executions : a huge step back for justice in Taiwan Paris-Taipei, 14 March 2011 – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organization, Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) deplore the hasty execution of five prisoners on March 4, 2011. The families of the prisoners were notified only after the executions. These executions contradict previous statements by the authorities favoring abolition and isolate Taiwan in the worldwide movement towards a universal moratorium. The executed inmates were: Chong De-shu, Kuan Chung-yen, Wang Chih-huang,…

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ADPAN welcomes “not guilty” verdict in “Hsichih Trio” case

Taiwan – ADPAN welcomes “not guilty” verdict in “Hsichih Trio” case ADPAN, the Asia-Pacific network which campaigns for the abolition of the death penalty welcomes the important decision to acquit the “Hsichih Trio”. The Taiwan High Court found Su Chien-ho, Liu Bing-lang and Chuang Lin-hsun not guilty on 12 November. In considering the defendants’ case, the Taiwan High Court adopted the opinions of a written report by forensic expert, Henry Lee, who analyzed evidence from the crime scene. Dr Lee questioned the physical evidence which was allegedly insufficient to rule the three defendants guilty.

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‘Hsichih Trio’ found not guilty again

By Vincent Y. Chao / Staff reporter Sat, Nov 13, 2010 -Taipei Times Page 1 After 19 years, three men accused of brutally murdering a married couple had their names cleared once again yesterday and walked free after a retrial found them not guilty in light of a new forensic report. The latest verdict was reached yesterday morning by the Taiwan High Court and immediately left a family member of the two victims expressing frustration, requesting that prosecutors launch a Supreme Court appeal. Known in English as the “Hsichih Trio,” Su Chien-ho (蘇建和), Liu Bin-lang (劉秉郎) and Chuang Lin-hsun (莊林勳)…

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ID card issue

No change in ID card fee: MOI By Loa Iok-sin / STAFF REPORTERTue, Sep 28, 2010 – Page 2 Despite complaints from the public about the need to pay a fee every time anyone changes their address on the national ID card, the Ministry of the Interior yesterday said it was unlikely to change the format of the ID cards at the moment, but did not rule out making changes at some point in the future. Deputy Minister of the Interior Chien Tai-lang (簡太郎) was responding to complaints over having to pay NT$50 to obtain a new national ID card…

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Groups hold mock review of ECFA in the legislature

By Vincent Y. Chao Taipei Times Thursday, Jul 22, 2010, Page 3 Members of an association dedicated to monitoring cross-strait agreements meet the press in Taipei yesterday to announce the establishment of seven committees to monitor various aspects of the recently signed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement. PHOTO: WANG YI-SUNG, TAIPEI TIMESMore than 30 non-profit organizations yesterday joined a mock review of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) in the legislature yesterday, in an attempt to increase pressure on lawmakers to hold a substantive review of the controversial trade pact. The mock review included representatives from human rights, labor and government…

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Forty death row inmates might be executed

Forty death row inmates might be executed2010/05/29 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…

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Constitutional Court rejects petition against executions

Constitutional Court rejects petition against executions2010/05/28 18:22:32 Taipei, May 28 (CNA) The Justices of Constitutional Court rejected a petition Friday aimed at halting plans to execute the 40 inmates that remain on death row. “Execution of the death row prisoners would not go against the two United Nations covenants that Taiwan has signed, ” the court said, referring to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights that passed Taiwan’s legislature on March 31, 2009 and were signed into law by President Ma Ying-jeou the next month. The petition was…

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FIDH/TAHR:Resumption of Executions a Major Step Back

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR)Press releaseTaiwan/Death PenaltyResumption of Executions a Major Step Back May 4, 2010, Paris-Taipei – The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) strongly condemn the executions carried out by the government on April 30th, 2010 of Chang Chun-Hong, Chang Wen-Wei, Hong Chen Yeow, and Ke Shi-Ming. These executions are the first since 2005 and came before the Grand Justices could review three petitions filed by the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty (TAEDP). The first petition dated April 16th 2007 was…