The State of the World's Human Rights; Taiwan 2025

New regulations eased restrictions on execution. Infringement of freedom of assembly persisted. No progress was made on improving protections for refugees. Judicial independence was at risk. Legislation was passed providing limited protections for the Pingpu Indigenous Peoples. Mechanisms to hold businesses accountable remained limited, but awareness increased. Discrimination persisted.

Background

Following deep disagreement over a budget bill passed in January, opposing positions between the main political factions grew further entrenched. In the face of wide-ranging cuts, the government focused on addressing national security concerns, while long-standing rights commitments failed to advance.

Death penalty

Taiwan executed Huang Lin-kai for murder in January, shortly after the Constitutional Court identified systemic flaws in the death penalty system. Despite a pending appeal and concerns raised by his lawyer regarding his mental health, the execution proceeded. Amendments to the regulations on implementing death sentences were adopted in April, permitting executions during retrials or constitutional litigation. The amendments violated international safeguards and restrictions set out in a 2024 Constitutional Court ruling to prevent arbitrary use of the death penalty.

Freedom of peaceful assembly

The legal framework and enforcement continued to arbitrarily restrict peaceful assembly, especially in politically sensitive zones, apparently to target the activities of selected civic groups. In September, police expelled peaceful pro-Palestinian protesters and detained a foreign participant for several hours.

Refugees’ and migrants’ rights

The government failed to pass a long-anticipated refugee law, citing national security concerns. The Temporary Alien Registration Certificate, introduced in 2023, remained opaque with unclear application procedures. No cases were approved.

An investigation begun in June by the Control Yuan (ombudsperson) highlighted the urgent need for a formal asylum mechanism. A separate Control Yuan investigation exposed serious deficiencies in foreign national detention centres, including poor conditions, and underlined the lack of legal safeguards and risks of torture.

Right to truth, justice and reparation

Amendments to the Constitutional Court Procedure Act (CCPA) introduced structural barriers to constitutional justice, including higher quorum thresholds and stricter voting requirements. Failure to appoint enough judges had rendered the Constitutional Court inoperative since 25 January, raising serious concerns about judicial independence and alignment with international human rights standards. Finally, in December, the remaining judges found the amendments to the CCPA unconstitutional and began to accept cases, despite failing to meet quorum.

Indigenous Peoples’ rights

In October, after rushed consultation, the Legislative Yuan passed the Pingpu Indigenous People’s Identity Act, establishing a separate legal framework for Pingpu Indigenous Peoples and offering limited protections for cultural rights. Indigenous Peoples seeking formal recognition noted that the act failed to provide full recognition of Indigenous status and thus did not meet the Constitutional Court’s 2022 requirement to provide inclusive recognition.

Violations of international humanitarian law

Authorities announced plans to fund a medical project in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank, which could make Taiwan complicit in Israel’s violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Corporate accountability

In January, a landmark ruling in the Radio Corporation of America toxic exposure case underscored systemic gaps in corporate accountability and improved public awareness. Nonetheless, mechanisms to hold businesses accountable remained limited.

Discrimination

The government failed to pass the Anti-Discrimination Act. Indigenous students continued to face systemic discrimination in education settings. Migrants were subjected to exclusionary policies, including inadequate protection under the Labor Standards Act.