Deputy Minister of Justice Hsu Shih-hsiang met with Lutz Güllner, the head of the European Economic and Trade Office (EETO) today to discuss topics including human rights protection, the Convention against Torture, death penalty policies, and Taiwan-EU judicial cooperation. The Ministry emphasized the shared core values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law between Taiwan and Europe, expressing a commitment to deepening cooperation with international partners to modernize human rights protection and the criminal justice system through various platforms.

During the meeting, the Ministry detailed Taiwan’s progress in implementing international covenants on civil and political rights as well as economic, social, and cultural rights, underscoring the long-standing principle of openness and inclusiveness in allowing civil society participation in drafting national reports and international reviews. The Ministry looks forward to establishing closer judicial exchange mechanisms with the EU.

In response to EU concerns regarding torture, the Ministry emphasized that domestic law defines responsibilities for public officials who inflict abuse or improper treatment on citizens and reiterated its cautious approach to the death penalty while valuing human rights. Both parties discussed enhancing Taiwan-EU judicial cooperation, particularly in addressing cybercrime, obtaining electronic evidence, and building digital investigation capabilities.