Amnesty International warns that Taiwan’s upcoming referendum on re‑introducing judicial caning marks a disturbing slide in the country’s human‑rights record. The proposal would allow courts to impose up to 12 lashes for certain criminal offences, a punishment that has been banned in Taiwan since 2004.

Experts argue the measure would erode protections against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, and undermine the nation’s commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The referendum’s timing—amid rising nationalist rhetoric—raises concerns that the state is retreating from democratic norms.

Amnesty calls for a transparent public debate and urges Taiwan’s lawmakers to reject the proposal, affirming that true justice requires humane, proportionate punishment and respect for human dignity.

Source: Amnesty International