Death penalty opponents releases statement amid rising outrage

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/06/01
By: Ted Chen

Taipei, June 1 (CNA) The Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty (TAEDP, 廢死聯盟) on Monday apologized for its refusal to “march to the beat of the ongoing media frenzy,” as public outrage against the group’s cause mounted following a random attack that resulted in the death of an eight-year-old girl last week.

The alliance said in a statement Monday that much like its vocal detractors, its members were also deeply affected by the murder and hoped to see their children and loved ones grow up in a safe and just society.

In light of six random killings in Taiwan in the past eight years, the organization reiterated that the focus must be placed on the factors leading to the murders, as capital punishment has been found to be ineffective in deterring future crimes.     [FULL  STORY]