NGOs criticize Legislative Yuan and demand their rights be upheld

On 25th December - Constitution Day in Taiwan – NGOs from all walks of life descended on the Legislative Yuan to protest for the right to attend legislative sessions and cover legislative affairs. Recently, after student Chen Wei-ting’s (陳為廷) criticism of the Minister of Education sparked controversy, KMT Legislator Huang Chih-hsiung (黃志雄) proposed to limit access to legislation sessions by barring citizen journalists from attending as observers. The proposition immediately triggered disapproval from NGOs that state the move would violate the Constitution, which guarantees citizens' right to political participation. Citizen journalists, scholars, citizens, judiciary staff and people from all walks of life and NGOs with common aspirations came together to remind the government of its constitutional duty. The common demands are: citizen journalists are given full access to gather reports from the Legislative Yuan; the Legislative Yuan works to prevent media monopolies; the Legislative Yuan Committee invites community members to attend sessions to ensure diversity of views; and the Legislative Yuan repeals Article 16 of the Rules of Procedure of the Legislative Yuan, which prohibits attendance at legislative sessions.

NGOs criticize Legislative Yuan and demand their rights be upheld
URL:http://www.peopo.org/news/107177

(以下為中文對照)

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行憲紀念日 民團呼籲立院別違憲 公民要旁聽及採訪權

12月25日行憲紀念日，各界民間團體來到立法院門口抗議訴求要立法院旁聽及採訪權。前陣子因綠委邀學生在立院旁聽對教育部長喊話引發爭議，而後藍委黃志雄曾提案要限縮公民列席旁聽、受邀備詢權利，引發民團不滿，認為立委違反憲法保障公民參政的權利，並在行憲紀念日呼籲立委勿違憲。公民記者、學者、公民等各界人士與環境、司法等公民團體共同訴求：開放公民記者到立法院採訪，防止媒體壟斷；立院委員會應廣邀社會人士列席備詢，以容納多元意見，並廢除《立法院議事規則》第61條不得旁聽之規定。

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