2010/3/18 新聞稿（English Version）

在反對停止執行死刑的壓力氛圍中，台灣政府於3月11日接受前法務部長王清峰辭呈，亞洲反死刑網絡（The Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network, ADPAN）與全球其他關切人士對此同表遺憾。ADPAN呼籲台灣政府持續停止執行死刑，以為亞洲國家邁向廢除死刑目標之表率。

台灣政府於2001年宣告逐步廢除死刑之政策；其後，死刑執行人數逐年下降。台灣並於2006年廢除絕對死刑，且自同年起未曾執行死刑。以上做法，均與2007、2008年聯合國大會呼籲以全球停止執行死刑為廢除死刑第一步之決議所體現的國際潮流相符。

馬英九總統於3月14日指出，台灣大眾應參與對死刑的公開討論；台灣不能自外於廢除死刑的國際潮流。

ADPAN呼籲台灣政府竭盡所能維繫其廢除死刑之努力，且繼任之法務部長皆應採取各種必要措施，包括確保目前44位死囚性命，以引領台灣朝向廢除死刑邁進。

全球逾三分之二的國家已透過立法或在實務上廢除死刑。全球輿論和實務做法轉向廢除死刑靠攏，是無可逆轉之勢。

ADPAN代表亞太地區廢除死刑之聲，對台灣政府至此所採取的廢除死刑措施深表歡迎，但呼籲其切勿落於亞洲其他已廢除死刑或限制死刑適用範圍國家之後：蒙古總統於今年1月宣告正式停止執行死刑；南韓未處決任何死囚已逾12年；菲律賓與庫克島分別於2006與2007年廢除死刑。

ADPAN是跨區域的網絡組織，逾40成員主要來自亞洲和大洋洲，其中包括律師、民間團體與人權運動人士。

您可透過以下方式獲得更多訊息：
以電子郵件louise.vischer@amnesty.org 連絡ADPAN協調人Louise Vischer，或致電+886-(0)930-019-345，聯繫台灣廢除死刑推動聯盟執行長林欣怡

TAIWAN: ADPAN Appeals for Taiwan to continue to Take a Lead

March 18, 2010 (中文版本)

The Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) joins others around the world in regretting that the Presidential Office of Taiwan accepted the resignation of former Minister of Justice Wang Ching-feng on 11 March amid political pressure against the moratorium of the death penalty. ADPAN urges the Taiwanese government to maintain the moratorium and to take a lead towards abolition among Asian countries.

In 2001, the Taiwanese Government announced a policy to gradually abolish the death penalty. The number of executions every year since then had been on the decline. In 2006, mandatory death sentences were eliminated, and no executions have been carried out since the same year. This is in keeping with the global trend toward abolition evident in UN General Assembly resolutions in 2007 and 2008 calling for a global moratorium on executions as a first step toward abolition.

On 14 March, President Ma Ying-jeou pointed out that the general public of Taiwan needs to engage in open discussion on the death penalty and that Taiwan cannot afford to ignore this international trend toward abolition.

ADPAN appeals to the Taiwanese government to do everything within its power to continue its efforts toward abolition, and that any future Minister of Justice shall take all necessary measures to lead Taiwan towards abolition, including ensuring the life of all 44 prisoners currently on death row.

More than two-thirds of the countries of the world have abolished the death penalty in law or in practice. World opinion and practice is shifting inexorably towards abolition.

Representing a regional voice for abolition, ADPAN welcomes the steps taken thus far by the Taiwanese government towards abolition, but urges the Taiwan government to ensure that it does not fall behind other countries in the region that have abolished or are restricting the use of the death penalty: Mongolia’s president announced an official moratorium in January, South Korea has not executed anyone for over 12 years, the Philippines and the Cook Islands respectively abolished the death penalty in 2006 and 2007.

ADPAN is a cross-regional network made up of over 40 members including lawyers, NGOs and human rights activists from 22 countries mainly from Asia and the Pacific.

For more information please call Louise Vischer, ADPAN coordinator on email: louise.vischer@amnesty.org, or LIN Hsinyi, Executive Director, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, +886 (0)930-019345 (Mobile)