Welcoming the Court's Trial Proceedings in the Su Chien-ho Case on World Human Rights Day in Accordance with Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 582

The Taiwan High Court held another trial hearing for the Su Chien-ho case this afternoon. After a hiatus of nine months, the court proceeded with the statutory investigation procedure for witness testimony regarding the confessions of co-defendants such as Su Chien-ho, based on the intent of Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 582. As today is World Human Rights Day, this trial session fittingly highlights the progressive trajectory of criminal judicial human rights in Taiwan. Although the court's procedures and legal views regarding the cross-examination of co-defendants remain unrefined and divided, the Judicial Reform Foundation is nonetheless gratified that the court was willing to conduct the trial of the Su case in accordance with Interpretation No. 582.

While illegal police interrogation was the primary reason for the wrongful conviction in the Su Chien-ho case, another major cause of judicial error was that the trial court followed habitual practices and interpretations, using the confessions of co-defendants to corroborate one another as evidence of guilt for Su Chien-ho, Liu Bing-lang, and Chuang Lin-xun, without granting them the opportunity to confront and cross-examine Wang Wen-hsiao. This exact same situation recurred years later in the Hsu Tzu-chiang case.

The Su Chien-ho case first sparked social reflection. The continuous solidarity and persistent advocacy of various groups drove the reform of the criminal procedure system, rightfully placing the burden of proof regarding the voluntariness of a confession onto prosecutors. Furthermore, Judicial Yuan Interpretation No. 582, issued in response to the Hsu Tzu-chiang case, transformed the evidentiary method known as "statements of co-defendants"—which previously had no basis in the Code of Criminal Procedure—marking a monumental step forward for human rights protection.

Consequently, following the remand for retrial, the Su Chien-ho case was fortunate to encounter Interpretation No. 582. This intersected the Hsu Tzu-chiang and Su Chien-ho cases—two seemingly unrelated matters that both hold significant positions in Taiwan's judicial history. Whether intentional or coincidental, the Taiwan High Court's trial of the Su Chien-ho case on World Human Rights Day, in accordance with Interpretation No. 582 triggered by the Hsu case, serendipitously and ingeniously linked and demonstrated the trajectory of Taiwan's human rights advancement. On World Human Rights Day, while witnessing the progress of our nation's criminal judicial human rights through the trial of the Su case, the Judicial Reform Foundation also hopes that the public will continue to strive toward safeguarding human rights through more progressive judicial reforms.