TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of National Defense has proposed legal changes that would set mandatory prison terms for people convicted of avoiding compulsory military service, CNA reported Saturday.
Under current law, people who avoid military conscription can be sentenced to up to five years in prison. However, the ministry said courts usually give offenders sentences of less than six months.
Prison terms of six months or less can usually be commuted to fines under Taiwan law. The ministry said this means many people convicted of draft evasion pay fines instead of serving prison time.
Under the proposed change, people convicted of avoiding compulsory military service would face one to five years in prison. The ministry said this would make punishment harder to avoid and create a stronger deterrent.
The same penalty would apply to people who avoid reservist training or wartime mobilization. They would also face prison terms of one to five years.
The ministry also proposed heavier punishment for people who avoid service until they pass the conscription age limit of 36. In such cases, offenders could face up to eight years and four months in prison.
The draft amendment must go through a public comment period of at least 60 days before it can be sent to the legislature. Lawmakers would then need to review and pass the amendment before it becomes law.
The proposal follows a 2025 crackdown on entertainers accused of avoiding military service through false medical records. Investigators said a group led by Chen Chih-ming (陳志明) took bribes to help celebrities obtain fake high blood pressure diagnoses.
More than 20 entertainers and musicians have been indicted in the case. In Taiwan, eligible men aged 18 to 36 must serve one year of compulsory active military service.
