The National Human Rights Commission expressed regret for the repeated protests by individuals holding Nazi flags at the entrance of the Taipei European School, stating that any speech stirring up hatred and hostility shall not be justified on the basis of freedom of speech.
The UN’s “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights” was incorporated into domestic law by means of an enforcement act adopted by the Legislative Yuan in 2009, thus having legal force in Taiwan. While Article 19 thereof explicitly protects freedom of expression, the provisions of Article 20 forbid the abuse of such freedom, and emphasize that a country is obligated to prohibit any propaganda for war, advocacy of hatred, and incitement to discrimination by law.
In the previous concluding observations of the international reviews of national reports on the “International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” it was repeatedly recommended that the government appropriately amend the Criminal Code to legally prohibit human rights-violating propaganda for war, advocacy of hatred, and incitement to discrimination.
The National Human Rights Commission solemnly calls on the government and all sectors of society to face up to the fact that allowing the widespread and normalization of hate and discriminatory speech will seriously harm the development of human rights and social well-being in Taiwan. Human rights education should be promoted in schools and communities, and more importantly, relevant legal systems need to be developed to uphold the internationally recognized norms and standards.