Thousands of previously restricted political archives, originally classified due to national security or foreign relations concerns, will now be made public starting Wednesday. That’s according to a press release by the National Development Council's Archives Administration.
Documents from Aug. 15, 1945, to Nov. 6, 1992, will be declassified, which include files relating to historical events such as the 228 Incident and the martial law period. The administration added that related records after 1992 will also be unsealed for continuity.
The administration highlighted this significant step towards transparency stating that the disclosure of historical memory is the foundation of transitional justice. It added that this is not only key to restoring the truth but also to promoting social reconciliation.
The declassification was made possible by amendments to the Political Archives Act (政治檔案條例), passed by the legislature and promulgated by President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Dec. 27 last year.
The administration elaborated that the amendment removes the provision of permanent confidentiality, specifying that political archives classified as national secrets should be decrypted no later than 40 years after their creation. However, the administration said an extension may be granted if the declassification would impact the safety of intelligence personnel but must receive prior approval from relevant national security agencies.