Taiwan Supreme Administrative Court dismisses death penalty lawsuit

Taiwan's Supreme Administrative Court has issued a final ruling dismissing a lawsuit filed by the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty regarding the execution of Huang Lin-kai. Huang, who was convicted of murdering his former girlfriend and her mother in 2013, was executed by firing squad on January 16, 2025.

The Alliance had argued that the Ministry of Justice's approval for the execution constituted an administrative act because it resulted in the deprivation of life. They further contended that the execution was illegal as judicial remedy procedures were still ongoing at the time.

However, the Taipei High Administrative Court previously ruled that the entire process—from investigation and prosecution to judgment and execution—falls under criminal judicial procedures rather than public law administrative disputes. The court maintained that the Ministry of Justice's review is part of the criminal judgment execution process, meaning administrative courts lack the jurisdiction to preside over such matters. The Supreme Administrative Court upheld this view on September 24, bringing the legal battle to a close.