Taipei - The Taiwanese Ministry of Justice carried out the execution of a death row inmate yesterday evening, sparking immediate condemnation from human rights groups who decried the move as politically motivated.

The execution, conducted by firing squad, was deemed lawful by the ministry, which cited the need to "ensure social justice" while adhering to human rights protections. This marks the first execution since President William Lai assumed office in May 2023.

Huang Lin-kai, convicted in 2017 for the rape and murder of his ex-girlfriend and her mother, was deemed to have committed the most serious of crimes by the ministry. The Supreme Prosecutors' Office, after reviewing the case, found no grounds for an extraordinary appeal, aligning the execution with a recent Constitutional Court ruling on the death penalty.

Human rights organizations strongly criticized the execution, viewing it as a government attempt to deflect from current political challenges.

"The Lai government's use of the death penalty to distract from its political difficulties is deeply concerning," stated a joint statement released by the human rights groups.

President Lai defended the execution, citing the constitutionality of the death penalty and urging public support for the government's lawful actions. He declined to comment on whether the execution was intended to bolster his approval ratings, despite the public's consistent support for capital punishment.

The human rights groups argued that the execution violated procedural justice and contradicted the Constitutional Court's ruling, which stipulated that the death penalty should only be applied in the most severe cases of premeditated murder or crimes resulting in death.

The ruling also emphasized the right of 37 death row inmates, including Huang, to petition the head prosecutor for an extraordinary appeal.

"The execution will not enhance public safety or trust in the government, but instead foster a more violent society and deepen public resentment," the statement asserted.

The groups urged the government to grant the remaining 36 death row inmates sufficient time to file petitions and called for a moratorium on executions until Prosecutor-General Hsing Tai-chao reviews the petitions.

The statement was jointly issued by the Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, the Judicial Reform Foundation, the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, and Covenants Watch.

The European Union, in a separate statement, reiterated its opposition to capital punishment in all circumstances while expressing sympathy to the victims' families. The EU urged Taiwan to maintain a de facto moratorium on executions and pursue the complete abolition of the death penalty.