Human Rights Conventions
What are Human Rights Covenants?
International human rights covenants are human rights standards formulated by the United Nations, signed by governments worldwide, and committed to observance. Although Taiwan is not a UN member state, it has domesticized and implemented several core human rights covenants through domestic laws since 2009, and regularly undergoes reviews by international experts to evaluate the government's practical effectiveness in protecting people's fundamental rights.
Through participating in civil society's parallel reporting mechanism, JRF presents human rights issues in areas such as criminal justice, the death penalty, torture, and the treatment of persons with disabilities from an independent civil society perspective, while proposing concrete recommendations for improvement to the government.
Key Human Rights Covenants Implemented in Taiwan
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Commonly referred to as the "Two Covenants", implemented in 2009. They cover core issues such as personal liberty, fair trial, freedom of expression, the right to life, and the abolition of the death penalty, and are subject to regular international expert review.
and its Optional Protocol
Prohibits subjecting anyone to torture or inhuman treatment. Taiwan has yet to complete the legislative enactment of its implementation act; JRF continues to advocate for its immediate passage and the establishment of a National Preventive Mechanism against torture.
Implemented in 2014. Safeguards the equal participation and independent living rights of persons with disabilities. JRF focuses on the treatment and disposition of persons with psychosocial disabilities in the criminal justice system.
Implemented in 2014. Protects the best interests of children and youths alongside their fundamental rights. JRF advocates and makes recommendations on juvenile justice and child protection issues.
JRF's Work in the Field of Human Rights Covenants
Uniting multiple civil society organizations to submit independent parallel reports to international review committees regarding criminal justice, the death penalty, torture, prisoner treatment, and other issues.
Dispatching representatives to international review sessions for the Two Covenants, CRPD, and others to directly present civil society perspectives to committee experts and address shortcomings in government reports.
Pushing for the prompt legislation of the Implementation Act of the Convention against Torture, demanding a halt to executions, and urging the government to implement concrete recommendations from the covenants' concluding observations.
Cooperating with Amnesty International, UN Special Rapporteurs, and human rights organizations across Asia to jointly promote regional human rights progress and show solidarity with persecuted individuals.
Key Issues We Continuously Monitor
- Abolition of the Death Penalty and Suspension of Executions: The death penalty is the most severe deprivation of the right to life. JRF urges the government to suspend executions and establish a clear timeline for the abolition of the death penalty, rather than using "public opinion" as an excuse for prevarication.
- Ending Torture: On June 26th each year, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, JRF unites with human rights organizations to continuously advocate for the passage of the Implementation Act of the Convention against Torture, ensuring that victims obtain effective remedies and perpetrators are held accountable.
- Fair Trial and Personal Liberty: The due process of arrest procedures, the principle of non-publicity of investigations, the protection of the right to counsel, and wrongful conviction rescue are all directly related to the core obligations under Articles 9 and 14 of the ICCPR.
- Persons with Disabilities in Criminal Justice: Persons with psychosocial disabilities often lack adequate protection during investigation, trial, and execution within correctional institutions. JRF monitors the constitutionality and CRPD compliance of the system of custody and medical treatment (monitoring disposition).
- Indigenous Human Rights: Focusing on indigenous cultural identity (single-name registration), the criminal prosecution of traditional hunting rights, and the realization of cultural rights for minority groups under Article 27 of the Two Covenants.
- Trend Toward Penal Extremism: Opposing the Legislative Yuan's populist practice of continuously increasing statutory penalties. Criminal policy should return to an empirical basis to avoid over-criminalization exacerbating the misallocation of judicial resources and the burden on correctional institution populations.
Timeline of International Reviews on the Two Covenants
⚖️ Implementation Act of the Convention against Torture – Still Awaiting Passage
The draft implementation acts for the Convention against Torture (CAT) and its Optional Protocol (OPCAT) were submitted by the Executive Yuan to the Legislative Yuan in 2018 and 2020 respectively, but have yet to complete review. Taiwan is currently one of the few democracies that has implemented multiple international human rights covenants yet has not implemented CAT. JRF continues to unite with civil society human rights organizations to demand that the Legislative Yuan pass the legislation swiftly and establish a National Preventive Mechanism (NPM).
Learn More, and Advance Human Rights Together
Read JRF's parallel reports, press releases, and commentary articles to understand how we promote judicial human rights reform through covenant mechanisms.
2017
An Agreement in a Parallel Universe ~ Hopes that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Marks the Beginning of the Government's Awakening to Disability Consciousness
Overall, government officials lack human rights literacy and failed to comprehend the committee members' inquiries…
2015
A Half-Open Door Letting in No Sunlight: Judicial Reform and Human Rights Organizations' Earnest Expectations of the Supreme Court
The "Taiwan Death Penalty Report" published by civil society organizations in 2010 publicly called on the Supreme Court…
2014
Endless Human Rights Crimes of Lo Ying-hsueh: Press Conference Demanding the Indefinite Removal of the Black-Hearted Minister
Recently (Dec 3), multiple human rights organizations issued a joint statement sternly demanding that Minister of…
2013
Welcoming the Long-Overdue Amendments to the Code of Service Court Procedure – A Statement by the Judicial Reform Foundation
This noon, the Legislative Yuan swiftly passed the third reading of the amendments to the Code of Service Court…
2013
Reviewing Laws to Implement the Two Covenants is a Governmental Duty by Law ~ Civil Society Will Not Endorse a Public Hearing Designed to Shirk Responsibility Casually
We believe that regarding this batch of bills violating the Two Covenants from 2009, because the government failed to…
2013
Gazing at Human Frailty, Recognizing the Evil of Torture: June 26 International Day in Support of Victims of Torture | Bearing Witness to Torture Survivors
Torture is a punishment that inflicts severe physical or mental suffering, taking many forms from tangible to…
2013
Huaguang Community Private Law Dispute, Police Abuse of the Police-Chop Power Act ~ Have We Returned to a "Police State"?
The Taipei Huaguang Community was demolished once again yesterday (Apr. 24). Thirteen hours prior to the scheduled…
2010
Inadequately Prepared, Chaotic in Pace, Lagging Behind in Progress, and Placed on Academic Probation! ~ Review of the Ma Administration's One-Year Results in Implementing the Two Covenants
Last March, the Legislative Yuan passed the ratification bills for the Two Covenants (the International Covenant on…
2010
"The Criminal Speedy Trial Act" is merely a placebo
Last August, the Judicial Yuan suddenly introduced a draft of the Criminal Speedy Trial Act, featuring two main points.…
2010
Judicial Reform Foundation Statement on "Judicial Day"
We affirm President Ma keeping his promise to make the above declaration today, one month later. However, we must still…
2009
Prioritizing Case Closure at the Expense of Adjudication Quality: Where Is the "Expeditious Trial"? Joint Statement Opposing the Enactment of the "Criminal Speedy Trial Act"
From practical experience, the longer a trial drags on, the less room there is for "truth" and "justice." We should…
2009
Speedier Trials, but Are They Fair? Critiques of the Judicial Yuan's Draft Criminal Speedy Trial Act
While the Judicial Yuan's draft "Criminal Speedy Trial Act" is well-intentioned and the JRF should naturally welcome it…