LIMITING FREEDOM? Legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal said that the amendments would violate people’s rights to peaceful assembly and to dissent against unjust policies
Taipei Times
Date: Mar 13, 2019
By: Jason Pan / Staff reporter
Civic groups and legal experts yesterday decried proposals for stricter crowd control
A group of human rights activists yesterday hold a news conference in Taipei, criticizing the National Police Agency’s draft amendment to the law, which they say will jeopardize the freedom of assembly. Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Taipei Times
measures to deter public disturbances and street fighting, following a number of incidents that led to Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) calling on police chiefs to crack down and maintain public safety.
Taiwan Association for Human Rights chairman Geoffrey Weng (翁國彥) told a news conference that he is concerned by a Criminal Investigation Bureau proposal to amend provisions of the Criminal Code and other laws to allow police to take action against public gatherings of three or more people deemed as threatening violence or public order.
The proposal seeks to amend Articles 149 and 150 of the Assembly and Parade Act (集會遊行法) to make it easier for police to deal with gatherings involving violence or threats, including reducing a requirement from three to two warnings to disperse before police are allowed to arrest participants, he said.
The proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Justice and the Executive Yuan, just days after Su demanded tougher action by police chiefs following brawls outside nightclubs and other entertainment venues in major cities that resulted in numerous injuries.
[FULL STORY]
