The Executive Yuan yesterday approved a draft bill to prevent stalking, which, if passed by the Legislative Yuan, would be the first of its kind in the nation.
The Cabinet expects the legislature to pass the draft legislation by May 28, the last day of the current legislative session, Executive Yuan spokesman Lo Ping-cheng (羅秉成) told a regular news briefing.
Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) has instructed the Executive Yuan to implement the law six months after its promulgation, and not in a year as originally planned, Lo said.
Local media reports said that Lo, who is also a minister without portfolio, was largely responsible for hammering out the bill after the murder earlier this month of a Pingtung woman — allegedly by her stalker — drew calls for action from lawmakers.
The draft bill includes stipulations for specific protective orders, in a departure from a proposal submitted by the National Police Agency in October last year, which critics said treated stalking as equivalent to harassment and did not provide an immediate remedy for at-risk victims.
According to the latest draft bill, stalking would be punishable by up to three years in prison, which is commutable to a maximum fine of NT$300,000 (US$10,700).
Stalking with a weapon is an aggravated offense punishable by up to five years in prison, which is commutable to a maximum fine of NT$500,000, it says.
The draft bill defines stalking as a range of unwanted behavior that has a sexual or sex-related motive, is persistent or repeated, and engender fear in victims that could disrupt their normal lives.
Stalking includes surveilling, observing and following the victim in person or via another, picketing domiciles, workplaces, schools and other places frequented by the victim, and repeating unwanted demands for an intimate relationship, the draft bill says.
Other acts of stalking include sending unwanted messages, images, recordings, goods or services via the Internet or other means; repeated use of discriminatory or hateful language or actions meant to intimidate, mock, threaten or denigrate the victim, among others, it stipulates.
After establishing the credibility of a complaint in a stalking allegation, police should issue a cease and desist warning to the accused stalker, which is valid for two years.
If the alleged perpetrator does not comply with the warning, the victim, police or prosecutor could file for a protective order in court.
Breaking an anti-stalking protective order is a separate offense punishable by three years in prison, which could be commuted to fine of NT$300,000.
Furthermore, prosecutors may ask a court to detain alleged stalkers if the evidence against them is strong and if there is reason to believe they might persist in stalking their victims.
Spouses, direct blood relatives, coinhabitants and close associates could be charged with stalking under the provisions of the draft bill.
CHANGING LANDSCAPE: Many of the part-time programs for educators were no longer needed, as many teachers obtain a graduate degree before joining the workforce, experts said Taiwanese universities this year canceled 86 programs, Ministry of Education data showed, with educators attributing the closures to the nation’s low birthrate as well as shifting trends. Fifty-three of the shuttered programs were part-time postgraduate degree programs, about 62 percent of the total, the most in the past five years, the data showed. National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) discontinued the most part-time master’s programs, at 16: chemistry, life science, earth science, physics, fine arts, music, special education, health promotion and health education, educational psychology and counseling, education, design, Chinese as a second language, library and information sciences, mechatronics engineering, history, physical education
The Chinese military has boosted its capability to fight at a high tempo using the element of surprise and new technology, the Ministry of National Defense said in the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) published on Monday last week. The ministry highlighted Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) developments showing significant changes in Beijing’s strategy for war on Taiwan. The PLA has made significant headway in building capabilities for all-weather, multi-domain intelligence, surveillance, operational control and a joint air-sea blockade against Taiwan’s lines of communication, it said. The PLA has also improved its capabilities in direct amphibious assault operations aimed at seizing strategically important beaches,
The High Prosecutors’ Office yesterday withdrew an appeal against the acquittal of a former bank manager 22 years after his death, marking Taiwan’s first instance of prosecutors rendering posthumous justice to a wrongfully convicted defendant. Chu Ching-en (諸慶恩) — formerly a manager at the Taipei branch of BNP Paribas — was in 1999 accused by Weng Mao-chung (翁茂鍾), then-president of Chia Her Industrial Co, of forging a request for a fixed deposit of US$10 million by I-Hwa Industrial Co, a subsidiary of Chia Her, which was used as collateral. Chu was ruled not guilty in the first trial, but was found guilty
DEADLOCK: As the commission is unable to forum a quorum to review license renewal applications, the channel operators are not at fault and can air past their license date The National Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday said that the Public Television Service (PTS) and 36 other television and radio broadcasters could continue airing, despite the commission’s inability to meet a quorum to review their license renewal applications. The licenses of PTS and the other channels are set to expire between this month and June. The National Communications Commission Organization Act (國家通訊傳播委員會組織法) stipulates that the commission must meet the mandated quorum of four to hold a valid meeting. The seven-member commission currently has only three commissioners. “We have informed the channel operators of the progress we have made in reviewing their license renewal applications, and