The Kuomintang plans to introduce whipping. Shen Boyang: The referendum should be discussed in detail instead of wasting time

Shen Boyang, a Democratic Progressive Party candidate for Taipei mayor who is also a professor at Taipei University’s Criminal Research Institute. (Photo by reporter Luo Peide)

Kuomintang legislator Hong Mengkai announced an amendment to the "Criminal Code" to include "forced whipping" as an accessory punishment for major sexual violence, drug driving, child abuse resulting in death or serious injury, and major aggravated fraud. In this regard, Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Shen Boyang, who is also a professor at the Institute of Criminology at Taipei University, pointed out today (2nd) that caning has many detailed issues to discuss. If legislators are unwilling to enter into detailed discussions and directly referendum, this will not help everyone solve crimes.

Shen Boyang said in an interview at a press conference that if the Kuomintang really feels that caning is an important choice for Taiwan's future, they can just legislate directly if they have more than half of the seats in the Legislative Yuan and the People's Party. The previous referendum method was actually a waste of people's time. He questioned that whipping involves many detailed issues, such as how to whip? Are there any gender distinctions between men, women, old and young? At what age can't you be caned? What is the physical assessment required during whipping? What are the benefits after whipping?

Shen Boyang pointed out that caning is a physical punishment, but Taiwan’s laws currently do not include physical punishment. If the restoration of caning must comply with the principle of proportionality, will all physical punishments need to be discussed? He emphasized that serious crimes now require caning, but what is the definition of serious crimes? Are embezzlement, currency counterfeiting, and banditry considered serious crimes? How should flogging be proportional? Should other physical punishments such as fingernail pulling and branding on the face be reinstated? To comply with the principle of proportionality, this is something that the Legislative Yuan needs to discuss in detail. If the legislators do not take their work seriously and are unwilling to enter into detailed discussions and just vote directly, this will not help everyone solve the crime.