A Year of Human Rights Covenants: Great Leap for Taiwan
National Human Rights Commission, Taiwan
stipulated in the Criminal Code Article 90, and
obligations in a suit at law, everyone shall
Fence Criminals Article 3 paragraph 1 and
competent, independent and impartial tribunal
in the Rehabilitative Measures for Burglar and
Article 5 paragraph 1; and the Organized Crime
Prevention Act Article 3 paragraph 3, limit
personal freedom as defined in Article 8 of the
Constitution.
Another question this case aims to answer is
whether compulsory labor as a rehabilitative
measure in addition to a sentence constitutes
double jeopardy therefore violating the principle
of not allowing two punishments for the same
offence (ne bis in idem), and whether such
labor constitutes an excessive infringement on
personal freedom.
Finally, the case aims to determine whether
this practice is in line with the principles of due
process of law and proportionality as defined in
Articles 8 and 23 of the Constitution.
On October 12, 2021, the NHRC attended the
oral argument of the case as a friend of the court
(amicus curiae) to express its opinion from the
standpoint of international human rights norms.
be entitled to a fair and public hearing by a
established by law.” (Article 14, ICCPR) When a
court sentences a person to compulsory labor,
regardless of whether it subsequently annuls
this or dispenses from its implementation, it has
already injured the party’s right to be heard and
violated the principle of “a fair and public hearing
by a competent, independent and impartial
tribunal established by law”.
Compulsory labor as a measure of general
rehabilitation infringes upon an individual’s
personal freedom. Hence, in order to comply
with the principle of due process of law, a judge
should be empowered to use discretion in
determining the duration of compulsory labor
under the Organized Crime Prevention Act in
each particular case.
Compulsory labor cannot actually attain the
goals of preventing recidivism, fostering reform
or enabling reintegration into society. Hence,
it is necessary to provide appropriate support,
such as rehabilitation education and protection,
The reason given to justify the co-existence
job opportunities, or social assistance, to help
penalty in the dual litigation system whilst
society. Imposing cruel, inhuman or degrading
However, not only does compulsory labor fail to
dignity, such as compulsory labor, violates
imprisonment that extends the infringement of
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
of both rehabilitative measures and a criminal
a person develop self-reliance and return to
avoiding double jeopardy is to prevent crime.
treatment or punishment which violates human
either rehabilitate or reform, it constitutes a covert
Articles 7, 8, and 10 of the ICCPR and the
a person’s freedom and violates the principle of
proportionality. In terms of protection of personal
freedom, compulsory labor goes against Article
9 of the ICCPR.
To fulfill the accused’s right to be heard,
rehabilitative measures should comply with the
following: “In the determination of any criminal
charge against him (sic), or of his rights and
Treatment of Prisoners (2015).
The Taiwan Constitutional Court holds that a
limitation on the personal freedom of a person
liable to penalty as stipulated in Article 90,
paragraph 1 and opening section of paragraph
2 of the Criminal Code and Article 3, paragraph
1, and Article 5, opening section of paragraph
1 of the Rehabilitative Measures for Burglar
National Human Rights Commission 2022 Annual Report
41