Lawmakers yesterday in an extraordinary legislative session began reviewing the Judicial Yuan’s proposed bill for citizen participation in criminal court procedures and passed a second reading to rename the proposed “citizen participation in criminal trial procedures act” to the proposed “national judge act.”
The proposed lay judge system would comprise three professional judges and six citizen judges, and operate on a “joint deliberation and joint ruling” model.
Lawmakers later in a 54-18 vote approved a motion raised by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus to continue the review meeting until midnight.
Photo: CNA
Earlier yesterday, the Judicial Yuan released a survey that showed most people were in favor of a lay judge system.
According to the poll, 72.91 percent of respondents agreed that having citizens discuss criminal trials with judges could result in verdicts that are consistent with the law and that meet people’s expectations, Judicial Yuan President Hsu Tzong-li (許宗力) said, adding that more than 80 percent approved of having professional judges attend final deliberations to decide on a ruling.
More than 94 percent of respondents said that in criminal trials using a lay judge system, the ruling should provide the reason for the verdict, while 97 percent said defendants should have the right to appeal rulings, he added.
Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
“The survey shows that a large majority of the public supports citizens working together with judges under the ‘joint deliberation and joint ruling’ model. In comparison, typical jury systems in principle do not allow appeals, and have no requirement to submit reasons for the verdict,” Hsu said.
“There is no perfect way, nor a most advanced judicial system. The one that can best adapt to our native environment and judicial framework, which comes closest to fulfilling people’s expectations ... is the Judicial Yuan’s lay judge system, which right now is best suited to the nation’s needs and the public’s demands,” he added.
The survey was conducted by the ERA Survey Research Center from July 10 to Tuesday last week. It collected 1,074 valid responses and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.
However, another survey released yesterday by a group of legal reform advocates showed that 81.9 percent were in favor of a jury system, 63.2 percent supported a lay judge system and 83.4 percent backed a “twin track” proposal.
The survey was conducted by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation on Monday and Tuesday last week. It gathered 1,078 valid responses and has a margin of error of 2.98 percentage points.
“The DPP government repealed its party charter by excluding the jury system and ran contrary to the prevailing views of Taiwanese. We hope lawmakers will not pass [the proposal’s] third reading,” Judicial Reform Foundation chairman Lin Yung-sung (林永頌) told a news conference.
The survey results released by the Judicial Yuan “looked like a paid promotion,” Lin said.
“The DPP often uses extraordinary legislative session to deal with major bills, as no subcommittee meetings or public hearings are held, with only lawmakers voting. This is the ruling party’s arrogance and the majority bullying the minority in the legislature,” Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) caucus whip Lin Wei-chou (林為洲) told the same news conference.
Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Jang Chyi-lu (張其祿), who also attended the news conference, accused the DPP of using “violence of majority vote” to run roughshod over opposition parties.
“Taiwanese have pursued a jury system for more than a century. We hope the DPP can stop its actions, as it should not force through a bill during the current session without a full deliberation process,” New Power Party caucus whip Chiu Hsien-chih (邱顯智) said.
Additional reporting by Hsieh Chun-lin
Three Taiwanese airlines have prohibited passengers from packing Bluetooth earbuds and their charger cases in checked luggage. EVA Air and Uni Air said that Bluetooth earbuds and charger cases are categorized as portable electronic devices, which should be switched off if they are placed in checked luggage based on international aviation safety regulations. They must not be in standby or sleep mode. However, as charging would continue when earbuds are placed in the charger cases, which would contravene international aviation regulations, their cases must be carried as hand luggage, they said. Tigerair Taiwan said that earbud charger cases are equipped
Foreign travelers entering Taiwan on a short layover via Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport are receiving NT$600 gift vouchers from yesterday, the Tourism Administration said, adding that it hopes the incentive would boost tourism consumption at the airport. The program, which allows travelers holding non-Taiwan passports who enter the country during a layover of up to 24 hours to claim a voucher, aims to promote attractions at the airport, the agency said in a statement on Friday. To participate, travelers must sign up on the campaign Web site, the agency said. They can then present their passport and boarding pass for their connecting international
UNILATERAL MOVES: Officials have raised concerns that Beijing could try to exert economic control over Kinmen in a key development plan next year The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) yesterday said that China has so far failed to provide any information about a new airport expected to open next year that is less than 10km from a Taiwanese airport, raising flight safety concerns. Xiamen Xiangan International Airport is only about 3km at its closest point from the islands in Kinmen County — the scene of on-off fighting during the Cold War — and construction work can be seen and heard clearly from the Taiwan side. In a written statement sent to Reuters, the CAA said that airports close to each other need detailed advanced
WEATHER Typhoon forming: CWA A tropical depression is expected to form into a typhoon as early as today, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday, adding that the storm’s path remains uncertain. Before the weekend, it would move toward the Philippines, the agency said. Some time around Monday next week, it might reach a turning point, either veering north toward waters east of Taiwan or continuing westward across the Philippines, the CWA said. Meanwhile, the eye of Typhoon Kalmaegi was 1,310km south-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan’s southernmost point, as of 2am yesterday, it said. The storm is forecast to move through central
RSS