bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

hooksAmpRedirectArticle

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

sponsorType

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

pdfFiles

seriesReverseOrder

series

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

readingTime

customTimezone

liveContents

SCMP Reporters

The European Union called on Taiwan to stop use of the death penalty after the self-ruled island executed an inmate who killed his ex-wife and five-year-old daughter in 2014.
Lee Hung-chi was executed by firing squad on Friday despite calls from rights groups to abolish the death penalty.
In a statement released after the execution, the EU said it was “unequivocally opposed to the use of capital punishment”.
“It is a cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity,” the statement said.
It added that the EU “looks to the Taiwanese authorities to immediately reintroduce a moratorium on the death penalty”.
Taiwanese man executed for killing ex-wife and daughter in island’s first capital punishment for two years
Taiwan resumed capital punishment in 2010 after a five-year hiatus, with the death penalty reserved for the most serious crimes such as aggravated murder and kidnapping.
Lee stabbed his former spouse to death outside the kindergarten their two daughters attended and then took one of the girls to his car, where he tried to kill both her and himself by carbon monoxide poisoning.
EDUCATED SINGAPOREANS MORE LIKELY TO SUPPORT DEATH PENALTY
He survived after they were rescued but the girl died two months later despite treatment.
“His actions were brutal and ruthless … and inflicted irreparable harm to the victims’ family,” deputy justice minister Chen Ming-tang said.
Lee’s execution is the first since a former college student was put to death in May 2016 for killing four people in a random stabbing spree on an underground train that shocked the generally peaceful island.
Death sentence in Malaysia for man who killed home intruder
In 2012 the murder of a young boy in a playground reignited debate about the death penalty, after the suspect reportedly said he was anticipating free lodging in jail and would get a life sentence at most even if he were to kill two or three people.
Amnesty International Taiwan’s acting section director Annie Huang said it was disappointing that Taiwan had decided to resume capital punishment.
“The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights and can never deliver justice or accountability,” she said.
“We once again call on the Taiwanese authorities to establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards abolishing the death penalty once and for all.”


The US-China Thucydides Trap is by no means a foregone conclusion

Beijing hits out at ‘arrogant and malicious’ G7 criticisms over South China Sea and Taiwan

Taiwan plugs imported parts gap in Brave Eagle military training jet production

G7 slams China’s ‘dangerous’ moves in South China Sea, voices strong support for Ukraine

Taiwan

EU condemns Taiwan’s use of death penalty after man’s execution for double murder

The execution of Lee Hung-chi, who killed his ex-wife and five-year-old daughter in 2014, was carried out on Friday. Photo: CNA

News

China

Politics

Diplomacy

Bloc criticises island for ‘cruel and inhumane punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent’


Crime