Taiwan election commission rejects caning referendum proposal

Central Election Commission Chairman Michael You explained that Taiwan has already incorporated international human rights commitments into its laws, and that caning is widely considered a cruel and inhuman punishment that violates human dignity. The proposal for the referendum was put forward by Hung Meng-kai, a lawmaker from the opposition Kuomintang party, who expressed regret over the commission's decision. He argued that the public should have had the opportunity to vote on the matter and questioned whether the decision protected criminals rather than victims.

The proposal had also faced criticism from Taiwan's National Human Rights Commission and international organizations like Amnesty International. Taiwan, a full democracy with extensive legal protections for human rights, still retains the death penalty, though it is rarely used. Referendums are held periodically in Taiwan, typically after citizens gather sufficient signatures for specific proposals. In a previous instance, a referendum to reopen Taiwan's last nuclear plant failed to meet the required voter turnout threshold.