Taiwan Legislative Yuan passes whipping referendum proposal

The Taiwan Legislative Yuan has passed a proposal for a public referendum regarding the introduction of judicial whipping as a special criminal penalty. The proposal, initiated by 52 Kuomintang legislators, targets four specific categories of crime: sexual assault, child abuse, high-value fraud, and complex/aggravated fraud. If the referendum proceeds, it could be held alongside the nine-in-one local elections on November 28, provided the Central Election Commission completes necessary procedures by August 28.

Opposition to the measure has been vocal. The Coalition Against the Death Penalty and several human rights organizations issued a joint statement arguing that judicial whipping is unconstitutional and violates international human rights obligations against torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. They noted that such a policy would conflict with the ‘Implementation Act of the Two Covenants’ and could create obstacles in international judicial cooperation and extradition processes. Additionally, critics raised concerns regarding medical ethics, as the system would require medical professionals to monitor the physical condition of those being punished.