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Human Rights Commissioner condemns executions in Taiwan in the strongest possible terms
In response to the implementation of another six death penalties in Taiwan on Friday, Markus Löning, the Federal Government Commissioner for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid at the Federal Foreign Office, issued the following statement today (22 April):
I condemn the execution of six people in Taiwan in the strongest possible terms.
The fact that an international commission of experts concluded that the executions carried out in Taiwan violate the minimum standards set down in international law makes them even more deplorable.
I once again expressly urge the authorities in Taiwan to refrain from carrying out any more death sentences and to return to the moratorium which was in place until 2010.
Background
On 19 April 2013 another six death penalties were implemented in Taiwan. In the last three years 21 people have been executed there.
Two months ago an international commission of experts, invited by the Taiwanese government, concluded in their final report on the implementation of the United Nations human rights covenants in Taiwan that the last 15 executions all violated the minimum standards of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The commission of experts called upon Taiwan to impose a moratorium on the death penalty until the problems have been resolved.
