TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Justice has withdrawn a notice detailing a proposed amendment to the Criminal Code that would have increased fines for illegally having or carrying out abortions.
The ministry stated on Tuesday (Nov. 5) that it had withdrawn the notice to conduct consultations with different groups in society regarding the amendments, per CNA. It said this had been done after receiving feedback from different groups on the issue.
The justice ministry proposed increased penalties for illegal abortions in late November. The proposal sought to raise fines via amendments to the Criminal Code, though no changes were proposed to the law that regulates the circumstances in which the procedure can be carried out.
Before the notice was withdrawn on Tuesday, Deputy Minister of Justice Huang Mou-hsin (黃謀信) responded to the criticisms. Huang said the increase was designed to make the fines for illegal abortion equitable with those imposed for other crimes listed in the Criminal Code.
Criticism of the change was leveled by a group of eight Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators and two women’s groups at a press conference on Tuesday. “If the justice ministry wants to amend the law, it must truly comply with the spirit of (the United Nation’s) Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW),” Legislator Fan Yun (范雲) said.
Fan pointed to a 1999 recommendation made by the convention that said legislation criminalizing abortion should be amended to withdraw punitive measures where possible. Her draft amendments would remove the crime of abortion from the Criminal Code and delete the clause that outlined spousal consent.
Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology Secretary-General Huang Chien-pei (黃建霈) also opposed the proposal. He said that not all conditions harmful to the physical and mental health of pregnant women are listed in the Genetic Health Act.
Increasing fines may cause obstetricians and gynecologists to fear breaking laws in a “grey area," Huang added.
