Congressional Reform is Urgent, Judicial Independence Must Not Be Interfered With: Legislators Facing Pending Legal Cases Should Recuse Themselves from the Judiciary Committee

At 9:30 AM today (March 7, 2005), newly elected legislators Hsieh Hsin-ni, Huang Wei-che, and Cheng Yun-peng held a joint press conference to condemn the recurring attempts by legislators facing legal cases to meddle in the Judiciary Committee. The Judicial Reform Foundation, Taiwan Association for Human Rights (Cheng She), and the Action Alliance for Parliamentary Reform attended in solidarity, united by the shared vision of upholding congressional reform and defending judicial independence.

During the elections for conveners of the various legislative committees in the current term of the Legislative Yuan, it was once again reported that "legislators with lawsuits" who have been indicted for criminal offenses failed to abide by the principle of conflict of interest recusal, joining the Judiciary Committee and even declaring their intent to run for committee convener. This is utterly outrageous! Participants unanimously agreed that allowing legislators facing legal cases to join the Judiciary Committee, participate in the review and negotiation of judicial budgets, and ultimately oversee the Minister of Justice, prosecutors, and the judicial system is not only a wrong beginning, but a great irony of democratic governance. Therefore, we advocate that when individual legislators' moral self-discipline can no longer be expected, external regulation must intervene. We must start from the institutional level by amending the "Organic Statute of the Various Committees of the Legislative Yuan" to uphold the principle of judicial independence and preserve the image and dignity of parliamentary self-discipline and reform.

The Judicial Reform Foundation stated that amending internal regulations to explicitly codify the principle of conflict of interest for legislators is a commendable practice, but it merely establishes a passive qualification. Given that the Judiciary Committee holds immense budgetary power over laws and judicial agencies, exerting a profound impact on national resource allocation and social development, we must loudly call upon capable and idealistic legislators to enthusiastically join the Judiciary Committee and take on the responsibility of laying solid roots and safeguarding the nation's legal system.

Cheng She further pointed out that professionalization and specialization of legislators, preventing party caucus negotiations from degenerating into backroom politics, and ensuring transparency and openness of parliamentary information are also important tasks that deserve attention in congressional reform.

This joint press conference lasted for approximately thirty minutes and concluded at 10:00 AM. Attendees included legislators Hsieh Hsin-ni, Huang Wei-che, and Cheng Yun-peng, Lawyer Kao Yung-ch'eng (Judicial Reform Foundation), Professor Hung Yu-hung (Cheng She), and Mr. Yang Pai-hsien (Action Alliance for Parliamentary Reform).