In 2023, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) released a “Special Report on Consolidated Cases on Rights Violations Resulting from State Misconduct Investigated by the Control Yuan.” The report, overseen by Commissioners Wang Yu-ling, Hsiao Tzu-yu, Lin Yu-jung, and Wang Mei-yu, shed light on human rights violations within the education sector during the period of authoritarian rule, particularly the violation of the right to education, and called on the State to restore the rights of victims.
In response, the Ministry of Education (MOE) conducted a nationwide review and identified 815 individuals in the education sector who faced political persecution. This included teachers and students at all levels, from primary and secondary schools to universities and colleges. Among them, 560 were educators and 255 were students, with National Taiwan University having the highest number of cases at 76. The MOE then implemented the “Principles for Restoring the Reputations of Educators and Students Victimized by Illegal Acts of the State During the Period of Authoritarian Rule” on September 23rd, 2025, based on the NHRC’s report findings and relevant precedent cases. These principles are now part of the National Action Program on Transitional Justice Education (2023–2026), aiming to strengthen transformative justice initiatives through education.
Key highlights of the Principles include:
- Scope of eligibility: Applicable to individuals and their families whose teaching or student status was adversely affected due to state misconduct during the period of authoritarian rule.
- Application and support mechanism: The MOE will create a single-window service to manage applications. Assistance and referrals may be offered by the Restoration of Victim’s Rights Infringed by Illegal Acts of the State During the Period of Authoritarian Rule Foundation or by private organizations involved in transformative justice.
- Restorative measures: Actions include awarding honorary teaching certificates or diplomas, holding public ceremonies to repair reputation, updating school historical records, and launching human rights education programs.
The NHRC affirmed that the MOE’s victim review process and the implementation of restitution principles represent significant progress in meeting Taiwan’s commitments under Paragraph 2 of Article 2 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and General Comment No. 16. These provisions require States to create remedies that protect individuals' reputation and dignity. It is hoped that these institutional measures will allow victims—such as those whose teaching careers were terminated, those who faced unjust punishment, or those whose education was interrupted by state persecution—to restore their dignity and rightful standing. This, in turn, seeks to strengthen human rights protections and foster reconciliation within Taiwanese society.