Taiwan
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- semi-presidential republic
- CONSTITUTION
- December 25, 1947, amended several times, last in 2005
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- is based on civil law
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- unicameral, Legislative Yuan
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Judicial Yuan, with judges appointed by the President for nine years with the consent of the National Assembly
RELIGIONS
Confucian and Buddhist majorities; Protestant and Catholic minorities
From the country
FEBRUARY 17, 2026TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: FEMALE DRIVER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR KILLING POLICE STATION CHIEF
A female motorist who fatally dragged the head of a police station to his death while trying to evade a roadside check in 2024 was sentenced to death by the New Taipei District Court on February 11, 2026.
- JANUARY 29, 2026TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: HIGH COURT OVERTURNS DEATH SENTENCE FOR MALAYSIAN STUDENT'S KILLER
The Taiwan High Court Kaohsiung Branch on January 29, 2026 resentenced Liang Yu-chih to life imprisonment for the 2020 rape and murder of a Malaysian university student, overturning a previous death sentence after a court-ordered retrial.
JANUARY 14, 2026TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: DEATH SENTENCE UPHELD FOR MAN CONVICTED OF KILLING NEIGHBORS
The High Court's Kaohsiung branch on January 14, 2026 upheld the death sentence of a man convicted of fatally stabbing his upstairs neighbors for allegedly making excessive noise.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: LAY JUDGES SENTENCE MAN TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A man who was charged with the murder of his wife, mother-in-law, and stepson in New Taipei City last year was sentenced to death on September 16, 2025 by a court panel that included six citizen judges, the New Taipei District Court said.
AUGUST 27, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS REJECTION OF DEATH ROW INMATE RETRIAL REQUEST
Taiwan's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by death row inmate Cheng Yi-lung, confirming an earlier Taiwan High Court decision to deny his request for a retrial, CNA reported on August 27, 2025.
- MAY 26, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: CEC APPROVES NUCLEAR POWER REFERENDUM, REJECTS DEATH PENALTY VOTE
Taiwan's Central Election Commission (CEC) on May 23, 2025 approved one of two public referendum questions proposed by opposition lawmakers in the Legislature Yuan, but was harshly criticized by the opposition for rejecting the other proposal.
- APRIL 7, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: CONSTITUTIONAL COURT REJECTS EXECUTED MURDERER'S APPEAL
The Constitutional Court on April 7, 2025 dismissed an appeal filed by double murderer Huang Lin-kai before his execution, stating it had no jurisdiction over the case.
- MARCH 16, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: KMT TO START CAMPAIGN ON REFERENDUM AGAINST END TO DEATH PENALTY
The major opposition Kuomintang (KMT) will launch a campaign to hold a referendum against the abolition of death penalty, KMT Chairman Eric Chu said on March 7, 2025.
MARCH 12, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: SUPREME PROSECUTORS OFFICE REVIEWS 36 DEATH ROW INMATE APPEALS
Taiwan’s Supreme Prosecutors Office is reviewing extraordinary appeal requests from 36 death row inmates following a Constitutional Court ruling last year.
- MARCH 10, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: KAOHSIUNG MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING NEIGHBORS
The Kaohsiung District Court on March 10, 2025 sentenced to death a man convicted of fatally stabbing a couple in an upstairs apartment that he believed frequently made too much noise.
FEBRUARY 22, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: MAN WHO KILLED STORE CLERK OVER MASK AVOIDS DEATH PENALTY AT RETRIAL
The Taiwan High Court on February 19, 2025 upheld a life sentence for a man who stabbed a convenience store clerk to death over being asked to wear a face mask.
FEBRUARY 3, 2025TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: DEATH PENALTY IN DOUBLE MURDER COMMUTED TO LIFE SENTENCE
The Taichung branch of the High Court on January 22, 2025 overturned Yang Hung-ju’s death penalty and sentenced him to life in prison for double homicide.