TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Minister of Justice Cheng Ming-chien (鄭銘謙) announced Monday (Oct. 7) that the Ministry of Justice (MOJ, 法務部) is considering a tiered classification for life imprisonment to provide judges with more sentencing options.
This announcement follows a recent Constitutional Court (憲法法庭) ruling that upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty with eight stringent conditions, sparking concerns about its potential abolition.
The Legislative Yuan's Judiciary and Organic Laws and Statutes Committee convened Monday to discuss the Constitutional Court's decision, known as the "Judgment No. 8 of the 2024 Year."
Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) Legislator Wu Tsung-hsien (吳宗憲) advocated for extending fixed-term imprisonment and introducing graded levels for life sentences to broaden judicial discretion. The MOJ reported on Oct. 1 that it held an inter-agency meeting to review the "Criminal Code" (刑法) and the "Prison Act" (監獄行刑法).
The ministry's report highlighted the prohibition of the death penalty for individuals with mental disorders and proposed tiered parole criteria for life sentences.
Additionally, the MOJ plans to instruct prosecutors to gather comprehensive evidence in major violent crimes and, when necessary, request the death penalty from the courts.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) questioned whether the 37 inmates on death row would face life imprisonment without parole if extraordinary appeals succeeded.
Cheng responded that if the Supreme Court issues a direct ruling, the sentences will be executed immediately, opposing any deduction of prison time for detention.
Deputy Director Cheng Sheu-shin (鄭淑心) from the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Department of Mental Health emphasized the need for psychiatric evaluations to determine whether individuals understand the reasons for their death sentences.