Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/12/22
By: Tai Ya-chen and Evelyn Kao
Taipei, Dec. 22 (CNA) The Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to designate April 7 as Freedom
CNA file photo
of Speech Day in Taiwan, with the goal of helping the people of Taiwan gain a better understanding of the value of freedom of speech.
The proposal was put forward by the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) based on a promise made by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) in April at an event to mark the 27th anniversary of the death of pro-democracy pioneer Cheng Nan-jung (鄭南榕).
On April 7, 1989, Cheng, then editor-in-chief of Freedom Era Weekly, set himself on fire as heavily armed police attempted to break into his office following his 71 days of self-imposed isolation after he was charged with insurrection for printing a draft “Republic of Taiwan Constitution” in his magazine in 1988.
At the time, Article 100 of the Criminal Code still banned the advocacy of replacing the Republic of China constitution with a new charter to mark the founding of a new nation, with the convicted mastermind liable to be sent to prison for life. [FULL STORY]
