The Cabinet on Thursday approved draft amendments to the Human Trafficking Prevention Act, which will enhance law enforcement's ability to disrupt criminal organizations engaged in exploitation, modern slavery, victim-based crime and other new forms of human trafficking, and strengthen victims' rights protections. The proposed amendments will now be submitted to the Legislative Yuan for deliberation.
Premier Chen Chien-jen said that the amendments will bring Taiwan into alignment with international norms and help prevent human trafficking crimes such as the recent spate of cases involving Taiwanese victims trafficked to Cambodia. The amendments include the addition of a clause which will make it an offense to compel or coerce another person to perform any act which is criminally punishable under Taiwan's laws, such as committing fraudulent behavior or transporting trafficked individuals. The amendments will additionally enhance preventive and deterrent effects by heightening penalties for human traffickers and will strengthen victims' rights protections by adding new and flexible pathways for sheltering services. The premier directed the Ministry of the Interior to actively communicate and coordinate with all legislative caucuses to complete the amendment procedure as swiftly as possible.