Support for death penalty reaches 10-year high: surveyBy Liu Ching-hou and Fion Khan / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe number of people in Taiwan opposed to abolishing the death penalty has reached a 10-year high, survey results released by National Chung Cheng University today showed. Of the survey’s respondents, 84.67 percent said they oppose abolishing the death penalty, while 66.91 percent said they are “completely opposed” to the idea. The landline telephone survey was conducted on Jan. 13 and Jan. 14, with 1,802 valid responses collected from adults across Taiwan. Empirical evidence remains inconclusive on whether the death penalty is a more effective deterrent than life imprisonment, it said. However, the majority of people in Taiwan still favor retaining the death penalty, viewing it as a deterrent and a reflection of retributive justice, the report said.

Source: Taipei Times February 12, 2026 09:50 UTC