Taiwan Proposes Minimum 1-Year Sentence for Draft Dodgers

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense is seeking to toughen penalties for draft evasion, proposing a minimum one-year prison sentence for desertion. The move aims to address a perceived leniency in current sentencing, where many cases result in sentences of six months or less, often commuted to fines.

The ministry argues that such outcomes create a misconception that military service can be bypassed with money, undermining the fairness of the conscription system and potentially impacting national security. The proposed amendments to the "Act Governing Offenses Against Military Service" would establish a baseline of one year of imprisonment for desertion from active duty or reserve service.

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Given that draft evasion cases in recent years have mostly been sentenced to less than six months imprisonment and commuted to fines, it may create a wrong perception that military service obligations can be replaced by money.

Furthermore, the draft legislation introduces a significant penalty increase for individuals discovered evading military service only after reaching the age of retirement. In such cases, their sentence would be increased by two-thirds. The ministry explained that while these individuals are no longer subject to conscription, the increased penalty aims to uphold the fairness of the military service system and deter potential offenders from seeking to exploit loopholes.

The proposed revisions also target those who incite, abet, harbor, or facilitate others in evading military service, setting a minimum one-year prison term for such offenses. Additionally, the act of impersonating another person for military service examinations will be explicitly criminalized.

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For those who evade military service until after the retirement age, their sentence will be increased by two-thirds.