• Location:臺灣
• Date: 2023/09/05
• Update Date:2023/09/05
• Clicks:30

Full review with amendment to the rules governing rewards to informants to bolster the mechanisms of reporting on different forms of election sabotage, augment information flows, and fortify investigation and law enforcement.   

It has been 13 years after the last amendment to the Guidelines for the Encouragement of Reporting on Election Bribery (hereinafter, “the Guidelines”) promulgated on May 14, 2010. After years of practice, several parts of the Guidelines should have been amended to meet actual needs in real world situations, including the scope of reward for reports of informants, the reward amount, and the simplification of the procedure for claiming the reward so as to speed up the reward process. It is high time for a new round of amendment to the Guidelines. In reviewing the patterns of election sabotage over the years, foreign intervention, and betting on elections are other factors affecting the proper pursuit of election further to bribery in elections. These are detrimental to fair elections. As a result, it will be necessary to include fighting against foreign intervention and election gambling as an integral part of the reward to informants for reporting, and conduct all-out investigation on any form of criminal election sabotage to ward off any crimes that spoil fair elections. For this reason, the Ministry of Justice proceeds to amend a full scale amendment on the Guidelines thereby renamed the law the “Guidelines for the Encouragement of Reporting on Sabotage to Elections” subject to the final approval of the Executive Yuan. 

The reward for reporting on foreign intervention of elections is up to NT$20,000,000. This reward is offered for the screening of any form of foreign infiltration for the assurance of national stability and a solid foundation for the healthy development of democracy. Foreign intervention in the elections of Taiwan has been unfolded through the development of certain organizations and groups, or direct funding of election campaigns. The experience of investigation in the past led us to know that these elements of influence are highly covert and difficult to uncover. These activities are not only damaging to fair elections but also destabilizing to our society, which in turn shakes our foundation of democracy. As a result, a high reward for information that helps to ward off foreign interventions in our elections will be served as an incentive for reporting. The gravity of this amendment is the offering of a reward amounting to NT$20,000,000 if the information can help to substantiate conviction under applicable laws governing elections such as the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act as stated in the indictment or judgment in order to encourage the public to provide useful information that helps to enhance investigation and prosecution. 

The reward for reporting on election gambling is up to NT$5,000,000 to ward off gambling for assuring just and fair election. 

Election gambling is also a common practice on particular candidates in an election with an attempt to manipulate the election result. Many people are enticed by the bet and the high winning prize that they cast the votes not at their own choice, but just to win the bet. They may also incite or affect the other voters in balloting. The impact of this practice on sabotaging fair election is analogous to offering a bribe in an election. In view of the addition of a special provision on the criminal liabilities of election gambling and gamblers to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act and the President and Vice President Election and Recall Act, the investigation and crackdown of gambling will be focus of work in law enforcement and related investigations. A reward of up to NT$5,000,000 will be granted depending on the size of the bet on elections. This will help to ward off election gambling. 

The public is invited to make efforts to provide assistance in the investigation and crackdown or any form of crime that sabotages elections. This will help to vitalize investigation efforts and achieve the goal of ”Clean up the Society through Strict Law Enforcement Against Unlawful Practices.” 

Fairness is the cornerstone of democratic politics and national integrity. Election results are critical to the future of the country and development of democracy. For this reason, the Ministry of Justice has declared its determination to investigate and crack down on any crime that sabotages our elections. The public is encouraged to provide solid information in this regard. The investigators will respond to “anything to their knowledge,” and “bring the perpetrators to justice with solid evidence.” All investigators will spare no effort in cracking down on sabotage to elections, and assuring fair and just elections.