On the anniversary of a murder that shocked the nation, politicians and activists have held a rally in front of the Presidential Office in Taipei to insist that the country keep the death penalty. Polls show the large majority of Taiwan's public are in favor of capital punishment.
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00:00Hundreds of people are here right in front of the presidential office in Taipei.
00:12To make it known, they stand against the abolition of the death penalty.
00:17The demonstration falls on the 10th anniversary of the violent assault and murder of a female
00:21school teacher in southern Taiwan that shocked the nation.
00:25The case resulted in the assailant receiving a life sentence.
00:29Others here include families of victims, politicians, and other supporters of the death penalty.
00:35They say preserving the capital punishment is the answer to, quote, make Taiwan safe again.
00:59Here, demonstrators are holding white flowers and wearing white clothes to commemorate the
01:08murder of the school teacher.
01:10This September, a legal challenge brought forward by the 37 inmates currently on death
01:14row resulted in a new ruling by the country's constitutional court that upheld the punishment
01:20but put limits on the use of the death penalty to only be used for the most severe premeditated
01:25murders.
01:27But protesters here continue to take a stand, calling for more robust protections of the
01:31death penalty, urging lawmakers to safeguard what they say will ensure justice in Taiwanese society.
01:38Joseph Wu and Wessie Lewis in Taipei for Taiwan Plus.