A Taiwan court decided on Friday to retain capital punishment, but ruled its application should be "limited to special and exceptional circumstances"."However, the death penalty is a capital punishment after all,

The ruling reflects a compromise between international pressure for abolition and domestic support for harsh punishment to deter offenders.

Taiwan's Constitutional Court issued a ruling on Friday upholding the legality of the death penalty, which is still imposed on the island and has strong public support, but called for its use to be limited to the most serious crimes.

Taiwan’s Constitutional Court was hearing petitions filed by roughly three dozen prisoners on death row who argued that the punishment violates the country’s constitution

Campaigners against the death penalty have long argued that the practice, carried out by shooting an inmate in the heart from behind as they lie face-down on the ground, is an inhumane method of punishment. The debate was brought to Taiwan’s constitutional court, which ruled today that it would retain the death penalty.

Taiwan’s Constitutional Court ruled on Friday that the death penalty should only be applied to the most grievous offenses, a decision that has significant implications for capital punishment in the country.

Members of the Taiwan constitutional court hold a press conference after the ruling on the constitutionality of the death penalty in a case brought by 37 people currently on death row, in Taipei, Taiwan September 20,

Taiwan’s Constitutional Court is set to rule on whether the archipelago should abolish the death penalty, a key test of its reputation as one of the most progressive societies in Asia.

Taiwan could be on track to abolish the death penalty if the island’s top court rules it violates its constitution.