Taiwan: death by execution takes 34 hours

According to a report published in the China Post of 17 April 1991, death row prisoner Huang Chia-ching was executed and his body removed to hospital after the execution as he had expressed the wish to donate his organs. However, on arrival at the hospital, doctors found that he was not yet dead and placed him in intensive care. The Justice Ministry ordered a second attempt at execution to take place 34 hours after the first: Huang Chia- ching was again shot in the head on 16 April and declared dead shortly thereafter. The Ministry of Justice is reported to have proposed a draft law following this incident which would enable prison authorities to use alternative methods of execution in cases where the prisoners wished to donate organs.

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