Tsai reaffirms government commitment to transitional justice

2023/09/12

President Tsai Ing-wen said Sept. 9 the government will accelerate fact-finding missions and reconciliation to realize transitional justice, redress past judicial wrongs and safeguard Taiwan’s democratic way of life.
 
The president made the remarks during a special ceremony in Taipei City to exonerate individuals who had been falsely persecuted during the country’s authoritarian rule. Their exoneration was realized in the form of a certificate presented officially, restoring their reputations.
 
According to Tsai, while Taiwan is already a free and democratic country, it is important that the government continues to scrutinize the past and bring to justice those responsible for the wrongdoings committed during that dark period of time. Democratic pioneers from that era went through personal experiences that are also part of the country’s collective history and something that the whole population must face, she added.
 
The passage of the Act on Promoting Transitional Justice in 2017 and the establishment the following year of the now-dissolved Transitional Justice Commission are two prime examples of the government’s commitment in this regard, Tsai said. As of July this year, 1,439 cases have been exonerated by relevant agencies, while 1,594 indemnification applications have been processed with NT$2.2 billion (US$68.75 million) paid out to victims and families, she added.
 
The president also took the opportunity to pay tribute to the late Tsai Kun-lin, one of the first political prisoners who spent a decade in the political prison on Green Island during the 1950s. Tsai recently passed away at the age of 92, but the president said his spirit and legacy will live on and continue to guide the country. 


Source: Taiwan Today (https://taiwantoday.tw/index.php)