KMT lawmakers urge president to pardon mother in 'mercy killing' case

Taipei, Nov. 17 (CNA) The opposition Kuomintang (KMT) caucus on Monday urged President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) to grant a special pardon to an 80-year-old woman sentenced to prison for killing her severely disabled son after caring for him for five decades.

At a news conference, KMT caucus secretary-general Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強) said a pardon is a constitutional human-rights mechanism designed to address such "heartbreaking" cases as that of the woman, whose appeal is currently being heard by the Taiwan High Court.

In an apparent rebuke of the president, Lo said the Constitution did not require a final conviction before a pardon could be granted. Lai's office has previously stated it will not intervene while the judicial process is ongoing.

Lo added that the KMT caucus would formally request a presidential pardon for the woman.

Meanwhile, KMT Legislator Chen Ching-hui (陳菁徽) called on Health Minister Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) and the Ministry of Health and Welfare to take responsibility beyond merely echoing calls for clemency.

The ministry should thoroughly review long-term caregiving policies and propose concrete improvements to prevent similar tragedies, thereby ensuring that every family gets the support they need, Chen said.

Court documents show that the 80-year-old woman lived in Taipei's Songshan District with her adult son and a foreign caregiver.

In April 2023, the woman was hospitalized with COVID-19. Upon returning home, she discovered that her son had also contracted the virus and was suffering from a persistent high fever.

With her own health declining -- she had suffered falls, bone fractures, and undergone multiple heart stent procedures -- the woman began to fear that if she died first, her son would be left without anyone to care for him, the court said.

The Taipei District Court acknowledged the extraordinary hardship the woman had endured and sentenced her to two and a half years in prison, while recommending that the president consider granting a special pardon.