CLOSING GAPS: Proposals to reduce the likelihood of suspects running followed outrage over the vanishing of people released in several high-profile cases on bail

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 02, 2018
By: Hsieh Chun-lin and Jonathan Chin  /  Staff reporter, with staff writer

The Legislative Yuan Organic Laws and Statutes Committee yesterday passed draft amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (刑事訴訟法) that would change the rights of those suspected of a crime, indicted or appealing a sentence through a preliminary review

The proposed amendments would limit police discretion in the use of restraining devices during a suspect’s detainment, arrest or transport; push the deadline for filing an appeal from 10 to 20 days; and substitute the more commonly used word “judge” (法官, faguan) for the archaic “magistrate” (推事, tuishi).

Judicial Yuan Secretary-General Lu Tai-lang (呂太郎) said the term tuishi is not used in the Constitution and all references to it should be struck from the law.

As prosecutors’ offices no longer identify themselves as belonging to a district court and the Special Investigation Division has been abolished, references to those organizations should be changed accordingly, he said.    [FULL  STORY]