On the afternoon of August 5, a delegation from Amnesty International–including Policy Advisor Marco Perolini from the International Secretariat; Researcher Chanatip Tatiyaker Oonwong from the Asia-Pacific Regional Office; National Director Chiu E-ling and Policy and Advocacy Supervisor Temelalj Kazangiljan of Amnesty International Taiwan–visited the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to exchange views on hate speech and the Executive Yuan’s Anti-Discrimination draft bill.
NHRC Deputy Chairperson Chi Hui-jung stated that eliminating hate speech is an unshakable duty of the Commission. In its 2023 Independent Opinion on Taiwan's Initial Report on the Implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD), the NHRC recommended that the government enact or amend laws to prohibit racial hatred and establish comprehensive regulatory mechanisms for digital platforms to align with the spirit of international human rights treaties. It also recommended that the Anti-Discrimination Act draft bill explicitly include provisions on hate speech.
Policy Advisor Perolini noted that, based on the experiences of various advanced countries, definitions for addressing discrimination and hate speech should be clearly set, and hate speech should be incorporated into the Anti-Discrimination Act to restrict or prohibit speech that causes human rights violations or harassment. He further recommended that the government develop regulations or guidelines on hate speech for online technology applications, social media platforms, and other corporations, to help them evaluate the impact of their operations on freedom of expression and human rights.
Researcher Chanatip shared Amnesty International’s research and investigations, including cases of technology-driven gender-based violence in Thailand and South Korea, online violence against the Rohingya people in Myanmar that has led to physical attacks, and online harassment of young people in the Philippines. He recommended that the NHRC conduct research and investigative projects on various forms of human rights impacts and violations, and use the findings to support the government in drafting legislation in line with international human rights standards.
The attending commissioners exchanged views on recommendations made during the 2022 international review of Taiwan’s national reports under the ICCPR and ICESCR to amend the Criminal Code, addressing the advocacy or incitement of hate speech. They also discussed the possibility of enacting a separate law to address hate speech, along with ongoing issues of discrimination and hate speech directed at indigenous peoples and based on gender. Deputy Chairperson Chi noted that the exchange provided valuable insights into global trends in combating hate speech, and affirmed that the NHRC will continue to prioritize this issue in its future independent assessments of national reports under the ICCPR, ICESCR, and the CEDAW.
Participating in the discussion were Commissioners Wang Yu-ling, Kao Yung-cheng, Hung Yi-chang, Tsai Chung-yi, and Control Yuan Member Pasuya Poiconx, who have been involved in work related to hate speech and the Anti-Discrimination Act draft bill.