TAIPEI (TVBS News) — President Tsai Ing-wen commended the diversity of the citizen judicial system introduced in Taiwan in 2023 and called for the judiciary to "become adaptable and more resilient" with the constant emergence of new challenges on Monday (Sept. 18).
Speaking at the 65th annual meeting and the 70th anniversary of the International Association of Judges (IAJ), President Tsai drew on historical lessons, underlining that "the pursuit of human rights is never-ending," and stressed her goal for the country to achieve the highest international standard of judicial independence and human rights protections.
During her opening remark, President Tsai lauded the merits of introducing the citizen judge system in Taiwan, allowing "a more diverse set of perspectives in the judicial process by having members of the public to participate in this process, alongside professional judges."
Recognizing the critical global presence of the IAJ, President Tsai urged the judiciary in Taiwan to stand up to any form of domestic or international political pressure by adapting and becoming more resilient in dealing with global challenges.
The IAJ, founded in Austria in 1953, has 94 members from five continents and aims to safeguard the independence of the judiciary. Taiwan's Judges Association is hosting the annual meeting for the second time this year from Sept. 16 to 21, after 24 years since 1999.