The Chinese Association for Human Rights today announced its 10 most important stories of the year, including the death penalty debate and Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je’s (柯文哲) detention.
The other eight stories are workplace bullying, Constitutional Court reform proposals, the suicide of a judge, child and adolescent rights, changes to the Assisted Reproduction Act (人工生殖法), the conflict between Israel and Palestine, missing migrant workers and the murder of a ninth-grade student by classmates, the association said.
The selected stories are meant to serve as a summary of major human rights events in the year, association chairman and former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Kao Su-po (高思博) said.
Photo: Wang Yi-sung, Taipei Times
As World Human Rights Day is coming up, it is important to announce these stories and review the government’s policies over the past year, he added.
The hope is that the government would continue to prioritize the rights enshrined to citizens by the Constitution, Kao added.
KMT Legislator Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇) also attended the event and commented on the death penalty debate, the association’s No. 1 story of the year.
The death penalty, although still legal, has been “functionally abolished,” Wang said, adding that it infringes on human rights and goes against public opinion.
This afternoon there is to be a “White Rose” anti-abolition rally in memory of a murdered teacher whose husband is still seeking justice, Wang said.
Wang said all those concerned about the death penalty should join the rally, adding that people could also view and comment on the event online during its live stream.
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