Justice Minister Wang Ching-feng

TAIWAN: JUSTICE MINISTER RESIGNS OVER DEATH PENALTY

March 12, 2010: Taiwan's justice minister resigned after failing to win support for her opposition to the death penalty.
Wang Ching-feng had said she would not give the go-ahead for any executions.
She added she would gladly die instead of any of the 44 inmates on death row, if only they got a chance to rehabilitate themselves.
Wang's resignation has been approved by President Ma Ying-jeou and Premier Wu Den-yih.
Ms Wang's comments were criticised by President Ma Ying-jeou, by her own Kuomintang party and by victims of violent crime.
An opinion poll compiled after her remarks suggested three-quarters of the Taiwanese public supported capital punishment.
"I would rather step down than sign any death warrant," she said.
"If these convicts can have an opportunity to rehabilitate themselves, I would be very happy to be executed or even go to hell in their stead." (Sources: BBC, Chinapost, 12/03/2010)