Taiwan
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 1
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · In November 1997, the Parliament approved the death...
- News items in the archive
- 282
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Taiwan is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 1 the year before. The archive holds 282 news items on Taiwan, from 1999 to today.
Latest news
FEBRUARY 5, 2013TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: CONVICTED MURDERER GETS DEATH SENTENCE REPRIEVE
The Supreme Court of Taiwan commuted the death sentence of a convicted murderer
- JANUARY 30, 2013TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
the Supreme Court, in Taiwan
the Supreme Court, in Taiwan
- JANUARY 1, 2013TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is provided for murder, drug offenses, treason and military offenses.
The death penalty is provided for murder, drug offenses, treason and military offenses.
DECEMBER 21, 2012TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: SIX DEATH ROW INMATES EXECUTED
Taiwan executed six death row inmates, the largest number to be put to death in one
- AUGUST 31, 2012TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
Taiwan's High Court quashed the convictions of three men sentenced to death
Taiwan's High Court quashed the convictions of three men sentenced to death
APRIL 20, 2012TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: PRESIDENT VOWS TO WORK TOWARD ENDING DEATH PENALTY
In Taiwan, President Ma Ying-jeou said his administration would reduce the use of the
- MARCH 30, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTY
a Hong Kong man, Robert Shan Shiao-may and a Taiwanese man...
a Hong Kong man, Robert Shan Shiao-may and a Taiwanese man...
MARCH 7, 2012ChinaDEATH PENALTYCHINA: 3 TAIWANESE EXECUTED IN XIAMEN FOR TRAFFICKING 357KG DRUGS
Three Taiwanese drug traffickers who were given the death penalty by the Xiamen
MARCH 5, 2012TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: MND PUNISHES DOZENS OVER WRONGFUL EXECUTION
In Taiwan, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) confirmed that it has levied administrative
- JANUARY 1, 2012TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
On January 8, 2002, Taiwan’s parliament abolished the Act for the Control and Punishment of Banditry...
On January 8, 2002, Taiwan’s parliament abolished the Act for the Control and Punishment of Banditry...
- DECEMBER 6, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCE AFTER FORCED CONFESSIONS IN TAIWAN, SAYS AMNESTY
Amnesty International charged Taiwan with violating UN protocols by sentencing prisoners to death on slim evidence and forced confessions.
- NOVEMBER 25, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: COURT COMMUTES EXECUTION TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR KIDNAPPING
the Taiwan High Court commuted the death sentence of Hsu Tzu-chiang for kidnapping to life in prison. This was his seventh retrial.
- OCTOBER 27, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: DEATH PENALTY POLICY REMAINS UNCHANGED - JUSTICE MINISTER
Taiwan’s Minister of Justice Tseng Yung-fu reaffirmed that there has been no change in
- OCTOBER 27, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: MILITARY OFFERS MILLIONS IN COMPENSATION FOR AIRMAN WRONGLY EXECUTED
Taiwan’s defense ministry says it will pay $4.4 million to relatives of airman Chiang Kuo-ching, 21
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN COURT ACQUITS EXECUTED SOLDIER IN RAPE CASE
soldier Chiang Kuo-ching was posthumously acquitted by a Taiwanese military court
- AUGUST 31, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
EETO CALLS FOR ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY IN TAIWAN
the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) in Taipei repeated its call for
- JULY 28, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE FOR 23-YEAR-OLD CASE
the Taiwanese Supreme Court confirmed the 23 year old death sentence of Chiou Ho-shun.
- MAY 20, 2011ChinaDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN MAN EXECUTED IN XIAMEN FOR TRAFFICKING 370KG OF KETAMINE
Taiwanese national Li Xiamhzheng was executed in Xiamen...
- MAY 13, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN DEFENDS EXECUTIONS OF DEATH-ROW INMATES ACCORDING TO LAW
the abolition of death penalty is Taiwan's ultimate goal and can only be realised after it receives the support of a majority of local people, Vice Minister of Justice Chen Shou-huang said.
MAY 12, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: DEATH SENTENCE HANDED OUT IN 23-YEAR-OLD MURDER CASE
at the 12th retrial result announcement for the 1987 kidnap-murder case of nine-year
MAY 3, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: DEATH PENALTY REMOVED FROM MILITARY LAW
Taiwan moved a step closer toward the reduced use of the death penalty as the Legislative
- MARCH 25, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: JUSTICE MINISTRY: HUMAN RIGHTS ACCORDS DO NOT BAN CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
the Taiwanese justice ministry said the two human rights accords that Taiwan signed do not conflict with capital punishment.
- MARCH 24, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: MA: SERIOUS OFFENDERS PUT TO DEATH IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW
"Our current policy is to try and reduce the number of convicts put to death under the act governing the control and prohibition of gun, cannon, munitions and knife and the military service ...
- MARCH 10, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN TO DROP DEATH PENALTY FOR SOME CRIMES AMID GLOBAL CRITICISM
Taiwan's cabinet approved revisions of four laws to drop the death penalty for some crimes, including
- MARCH 9, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: MINISTER VOWS TO UPHOLD JUDICIAL SOVEREIGNTY
Taiwan's Justice Minister pledged that he will not suspend the implementation of the
- MARCH 5, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
President Ma Ying-jeou defended the Ministry of Justice’s...
President Ma Ying-jeou defended the Ministry of Justice’s...
MARCH 5, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTYTAIWAN: DOCTORS TRANSPLANT ORGANS TAKEN FROM EXECUTED PRISONERS
Doctors at southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (KCGMH) conducted liver transplant surgeries after receiving the bodies of two inmates executed, local media reported.
- MARCH 4, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: FIVE DEATH-ROW CONVICTS EXECUTED
Five convicts on death row were executed in Taiwan, the Ministry of Justice said in a statement
- FEBRUARY 10, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: TOP COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH
Chen Ruei-chin was sentenced to death by the Taiwanese supreme court for the death of three adults and three children from 1983 to 2003, two of whom were his former wives and three were children born to his first wife.
- JANUARY 31, 2011TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: MA APOLOGISES TO THE PUBLIC OVER WRONGFUL EXECUTION
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou and the Ministry of National Defense (MND) formally