TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The head of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) claimed on Wednesday (Sept. 18) that more than 80% of public opinion opposes the abolition of the death penalty. KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) emphasized that the KMT stands firmly for fairness and justice and currently sees no conditions suitable for abolishing the death penalty.
Chu made the comments while addressing the Central Standing Committee (中常會), noting that the Constitutional Court (憲法法庭) will issue a ruling on the death penalty abolition case on Friday (Sept. 20). He elaborated that the Chinese Association for Human Rights (中華人權協會, CAHR) and related groups held a press conference today, revealing that over 80% of the public opposes abolition, while only 9.2% support it.
Chu stressed that more public opinion disapproves of justices making the decision directly. He argued that this crucial decision, which impacts social fairness and moral standards, should be based on legal foundations and public referendums, not the personal ideologies of justices or some Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) members.
As the Constitutional Court prepares to issue its ruling, the debate over the death penalty in Taiwan continues to intensify. The public eagerly awaits the court's decision, which could significantly influence Taiwan's legal and moral landscape.
