Sunday, January 24, 2016

Follow-up on the news from Taiwan

Remember how Taiwan abruptly abolished its military justice system a two years ago after a soldier died of exhaustion while in unwarranted disciplinary confinement? Well, that soldier's sister has just unhorsed a long-time legislator in a three-way election. Details here. Excerpt:
Hung Tzu-yung (洪慈庸), one of five constituency legislative candidates representing the New Power Party (NPP) that was formed last year, defeated veteran Legislator Yang Chiung-Ying (楊瓊瓔) of the Kuomintang (KMT) in Taichung City's third electoral district Saturday. . . 
Hung, 33, is the sister of Hung Chung-chiu (洪仲丘), a soldier whose high-profile death three years ago turned the spotlight on social justice in Taiwan. 
The 23-year-old conscript died of heat exhaustion on July 4, 2013 after being forced to do strenuous exercise in a detention facility that he should not have been confined to in the first place. 
Hung Chung-chiu's death raised questions of human rights violations in the military, sparked mass protests in Taiwan, led to the prosecution of several military officials and spurred major legal reforms such as the abolition of military courts during peacetime. 
The amended law also stipulated that military personnel under punishment or filing an appeal against punishment should not be subjected to discrimination or unfair treatment.

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