The justice ministry has announced that the UK has signed a prisoner transfer agreement with Taiwan.
Under the agreement Taiwanese nationals jailed in the UK and British nationals jailed in Taiwan will be deported to their home countries to serve out their sentences.
Justice ministry official Tai Tung-li signed the agreement on behalf of Taiwan at the Legislature in April. Now the justice ministry reports that UK prison service official Digby Griffith signed the agreement in London Tuesday.
This is the second prisoner transfer agreement that Taiwan has signed with an EU member. Taiwan concluded a similar agreement with Germany in 2013. But with Beijing’s recent controversial seizure of Taiwanese nationals in Kenya, this agreement is likely to receive more public notice.
The justice ministry says the transfer of prisoners to their home countries is humane, furthers the goal of reforming criminals, and makes family visits easier to arrange. The agreement is expected to benefit the seven British nationals currently in Taiwan’s prison system.