Hsieh Chih-Hung was only 20 years old when he was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and sentenced to death in Taiwan. He was accused of killing an 18-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man in 2000, leading to a trial that relied on a confession he claims was obtained through torture. Despite his innocence, he was found guilty in 2001 and given a death sentence, losing faith in the judicial system.
While Hsieh was eventually freed from death row in 2020 after 19 years, others have not been as fortunate. The Taiwan Innocence Project (TIP) has worked to exonerate wrongfully accused inmates, highlighting the irreversible nature of the death penalty. One such case was Taiwanese Air Force Private Chiang Kuo-Ching, who was executed for a crime he didn’t commit before being exonerated.
Opponents of the death penalty argue that the state should not have the right to take lives, viewing it as a form of state violence. They believe it overlooks societal issues that contribute to crime and fails to address the root causes. Despite some restrictions placed on the death penalty by the Constitutional Court, advocates face challenges in abolishing it through legislation due to strong public support for capital punishment in Taiwan.
With nearly 85% of individuals over 20 supporting the death penalty according to a 2024 poll, and over 88% believing it helps prevent serious crime based on a 2022 survey, public opinion remains a significant hurdle for abolitionists. Both major political parties in Taiwan have shown support for capital punishment, making it difficult for anti-death penalty advocates to make progress.
Although the recent ruling by the Constitutional Court has sparked national debate on the issue, it has also posed challenges for future abolition efforts. Advocacy groups like the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty continue to push for open discussions on the topic, hoping to change public perception over time. While the road ahead may be tough, there remains hope for progress in the fight against the death penalty in Taiwan.
