Human rights groups have unveiled a draft of a law that would grant refugees protection in Taiwan.
Taiwan has no refugee act in place, and attempts to pass one over more than a decade have failed to yield results.
The human rights groups unveiled their proposal for a refugee act on Friday, one day before World Refugee Day. At a press conference, the groups voiced support for efforts towards helping protect Hong Kongers from persecution. However, they called on the government to treat the protection of those fleeing persecution from other places with importance as well.
Speaking during the press conference, the chair of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Clarence Chou, said that nearly 50 refugees from ten countries have arrived in Taiwan to seek safety over the past few years.
However, the lack of a refugee law in Taiwan has forced these people to go into hiding. Chou said that this leaves these people in difficult situations, and may also carry risk for Taiwan’s society. Chou called for the government to take the first step towards getting a refugee law passed.