Taipei: The Executive Yuan plans to discuss further details about reinstating the military trial system next month, amid an increase of espionage cases involving active-duty servicemen, Cabinet spokesperson Michelle Lee announced Thursday. At a press briefing, Lee revealed that Premier Cho Jung-tai would convene a Cabinet meeting in early April to review a plan for restoring and overhauling the military trial system, including a timeline for its implementation.
According to Focus Taiwan, any changes to the current law, which mandates that court-martial be used only during times of war, would require legislative approval. On March 13, Premier Lai announced the administration's intention to reinstitute the military trial system due to the growing number of espionage cases involving active Taiwanese servicemen. The proposed amendments to the Military Trial Act aim to restore the military trial system and allow military judges to return to active duty.
The reinstated military trials will handle crimes such as sedition, aiding the enemy, leaking confidential information, dereliction of duty, and disobedience committed by active-duty servicemen. Data from the National Security Bureau revealed that in 2024, 64 people were indicted in Taiwan for spying for China, tripling the number from 2021. Among the indicted, 28 were active-duty servicemen and 15 were retired personnel, collectively accounting for 66 percent of the total.
On Thursday, Lee emphasized the government's commitment to building a new system that ensures independence, fair trials, and due process in future military trials. She highlighted the government's dedication to addressing criticisms of the previous system, which was disbanded in 2013 due to multiple human rights violations and cover-ups among military personnel.
The Judicial Reform Foundation expressed concerns about the potential restoration of the previous legal framework. The NGO noted that the military court system was previously disbanded because of its failure to adhere to constitutional standards and its involvement in human rights violations.