TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 22-year-old Taoyuan man was sentenced to three months in prison on Tuesday (Aug. 6) after failing to present for compulsory military service.
The man surnamed Chen (陳) was sentenced for failing to report for enlistment for more than five days after he was requested and without providing reason, per SETN.
The court ruling found that Chen was asked to report to Pingtung for military service in late 2023. During questioning Chen said that he had overslept on the day he was supposed to report, so he informed his local military office and made his way to the base.
When he arrived, he said he could not get in nor contact people at the base. Chen said he had no choice but to return to Taoyuan, and he did not report for duty after he returned.
Prosecutors argued that Chen had no reason to miss his enlistment date. They did not accept oversleeping as a valid reason.
The judge said that Chen’s actions had undermined the fair operation of the compulsory military service system. He had denied committing any crime when being handed down the sentence.
There is no minimum sentencing requirement for those found guilty of the crime, and the maximum sentence is five years. Chen's prison sentence and conviction are subject to appeal.
