2014 Work Achievements

■Prosecutorial System Reform

• Drafted the Organic Act of the Prosecutors Office to reform the systemic flaws in the current prosecutorial system.
• Targets of Reform: (1) Abolishing the Special Investigation Division; (2) Eradicating abusive litigation and establishing mechanisms of accountability; (3) Implementing written directions to bring transparency to the principle of "prosecutorial unity"; (4) Strengthening mechanisms for selecting and weeding out incompetent prosecutors.

■Promoting Amendments to the Judges Act

• The Judges Act restricts citizens' right to directly file complaints against judges and prosecutors, requiring such complaints to be submitted by officially chartered civil organizations. However, it fails to grant these organizations appropriate powers of investigation and evidence review, rendering individual evaluation apathetic and ineffective. The Foundation will continue to monitor, critique, and demand legal amendments.

■Promoting Amendments to the Communication Security and Surveillance Act

• In view of the rampant use of wiretapping in our country, we have drafted the Communication Security and Surveillance Act draft, advocating for the abolition of the "Communications Surveillance Center."

■Complaint Center

• Continue to accept grievance cases from the public. The main types of grievance cases handled are:
• Reports on incompetent judges and prosecutors: Researching grounds for individual evaluations and filing petitions for the individual evaluation of incompetent judges and prosecutors in accordance with the Judges Act.
• Rescue of major criminal miscarriage of justice cases: Examining finalized cases to see if there is scope to file for retrial, extraordinary appeal, or petitions to the Control Yuan.
• Planning the establishment of regional branches for the Complaint Center, initially focusing on central and southern Taiwan, cooperating with local lawyers and schools to accept grievance cases, co-hosting events, assisting with individual cases, and gradually integrating local resources in central and southern regions.

■Public Participation in Trials

• Opposed the Judicial Yuan's version of the "observer-judges system" (Guan-Shen system) and proposed a civil society counterpart, officially titled the "Citizen Participation in Criminal Trials Act," continuing to push for legislation.
• In-depth research and formulation of various systems, bills, and complementary measures that may be required for the "system of public participation in trials."
• Continuing to conduct "mock jury trial" activities across the country, introducing the "system of public participation in trials" through interactive and participatory methods.

■Further Reform of the New Criminal Procedure System

• In response to the Judicial Yuan's proposed amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure in the Legislative Yuan, the Foundation proposed a civil society counterpart to accelerate the pace of reform.

■Court Observation

• Continuing to recruit volunteers and interns, and conducting service-learning courses on court observation at various courts nationwide in cooperation with major universities and high schools, writing observation reports.

■Case Rescue

• Su Chien-ho Case: Acquitted with finality. Subsequent exchange plans such as making all relevant files public and holding seminars will be carried out.
• Hsu Tzu-chiang Case: Released under the Criminal Speedy Trial Act, JRF volunteers continue to assist in organizing case files and litigation data, actively preparing for subsequent litigation.
• Chiang Kuo-ching Case: Pursuing accountability for the torture, forced confessions, and abuse of power in prosecution by officers of the former Air Force Headquarters and Counter-Intelligence Command. The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office remanded the case to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office for reinvestigation for the second time on December 12, 2012, and the Foundation will continue to monitor this. Civil claims for compensation are also underway, and the Foundation continuously launches court observations.
• Chiou Ho-shun Case: Continuing to mobilize volunteers for weekly visits and assisting the defense team in filing for retrials, constitutional interpretations, and other rescue actions.

■Volunteer System Operations

• Deployed the CiviCRM volunteer system, establishing and revising volunteer activities and training courses through strategic planning and regular reviews, aiming to form various types of core volunteers, build an operational model for volunteer organizations, and further promote mutual exchange among volunteers.
• Through the deployment of the CiviCRM system, integrating functions such as volunteers, events, donors, and newsletters, moving towards systematic and segmented management.

■Social Movement Pro Bono Lawyer Platform

• Established the Social Movement Pro Bono Lawyer Platform to effectively integrate the needs and resources of various social groups and provide immediate and effective legal assistance.

■Judicial Reform 20th Anniversary "Digital Archives"

• Since its establishment in November 1995, the Judicial Reform Foundation has been operating for nearly 20 years, accumulating a substantial amount of related documents and materials. Work has begun to gradually digitize, preserve, and archive them.

■Coalition Work

• Continues to participate in the "Covenants Watch," "Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty," "Legal Aid Guardians Coalition," "Alliance to Amend the Assembly and Parade Act," and "Citizen Congress Watch."

■Publicity and Publication

• Continues to update the Foundation's website and send out e-newsletters, regularly publish the "Judicial Reform Magazine," irregularly produce promotional materials, plan the production of a documentary on the Hsu Tzu-chiang case, and submit op-eds on judicial current events to newspapers and media.

■Legal Ethics Education Center

• Regularly holds reading groups, continues the second stage of the book publication project, and publishes books related to the sociology of law.