The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) invited Marie-Lina Pérez, the Head of the Africa-Asia Desk at the French NGO “Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort” (ECPM – Together against the Death Penalty) to give a presentation on “The Role of NHRIs (National Human Rights Institutions) in the Abolition of the Death Penalty” including international good practices on the abolition of the death penalty and the role that NHRIs should play.
In her welcome speech, NHRC Chairperson Chen Chu said that the NHRC has been actively advocating for the abolition of the death penalty since its establishment in August 2020. The Independent Opinion on the Third National Report on the ICCPR and ICESCR published in 2020 called on the government to pay attention to the human rights of inmates on death row. Other initiatives include the hosting of the “Between Life and Death” film exhibition in 2022 with 12 film events and forums held on school campuses in northern, central, eastern, and southern Taiwan.
Last December, Chairperson Chen Chu accepted invitations to visit France and Germany. She mentioned during her dialog with French and German human rights institutes, parliamentarians, and Amnesty International that even though the abolition of the death penalty is difficult work, which garners little appreciation, the NHRC will continue to engage with society and listen to the voices of the victims.
Pérez started her presentation by sharing her experience at the 8th World Congress against the Death Penalty in 2022 and then introduced the ECPM and its efforts to the abolition of the death penalty. She noted that the 6th World Congress against the Death Penalty held in Oslo, Norway, in 2016 highlighted the crucial role of NHRIs in the abolition of the death penalty and encouraged NHRIs to propose concrete actions in accordance with the “Paris Principles” and their statutory role.
NHRC Vice Chairperson Wang Jung-can and Commissioner Kao Yung-cheng represented the NHRC at the 8th World Congress against the Death Penalty organized by the ECPM in November 2022. This was the first time that the NHRC had sent representatives to the World Congress against the Death Penalty at the invitation of the organizers. After giving her speech, Pérez also engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as international good practice on the abolition of the death penalty, remedies for victims’ families, and alternatives to the death penalty.
Enthusiastic discussion followed among the 50 or so attendees including NHRC Commissioners Tien Chiu-chin, Chi Hui-jung, Yeh Ta-hua, Upay Radiw Kanasaw, Lai Chen-chang, and Su Li-chiung, Control Yuan Member Fan Sun-lu, and NHRC staff.
The Abolition of the Death Penalty: A Practical Guide for NHRIs published by the ECPM in 2019 covered good practices from many Asian and African NHRIs and meticulously combed through the methods used in each country to abolish the death penalty. The guide also encouraged NHRIs to engage in dialog with the rest of society and monitor their country’s actions in terms of human rights standards and legislation.