Commutations of sentence and acts of clemency
Archive theme
A death sentence can be turned into a prison sentence by an act of clemency: commutation, pardon, amnesty, remission. These rest with heads of state, courts and clemency boards, and not infrequently arrive within hours of an execution.
For the association they are a concrete front: every commutation is a life, and the countries that grant many of them are often the ones closest to a moratorium in fact. This page collects the news on commutations, pardons and acts of clemency.
Latest news
- APRIL 20, 2020DEATH PENALTY
PRISON. APPEAL OF 54 PERSONALITIES FROM 14 COUNTRIES TO THE EU FOR AN AMNESTY FACING COVID-19
54 personalities from 14 countries are asking the European institutions to promote the amnesty to face the Covid 19 pandemic in prisons.
APRIL 19, 2020Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTYMYANMAR: MORE THAN 24,000 PRISONERS PARDONED IN AMNESTY
Myanmar began releasing tens of thousands of inmates on 17 April 2020 after President Win Myint announced an amnesty on the first day of the traditional New Year.
- APRIL 17, 2020DEATH BY PUNISHMENT
PRISON: CONVOCATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF HANDS OFF CAIN-SPES CONTRA SPEM
The Hand off Cain-Spes contra spem association convened its Board of Directors on Saturday, April 18 from 2.30 pm to 8.00 pm.
APRIL 9, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: MERCY PLEA OF MAN WHO KILLED FOUNDING PRESIDENT REJECTED
The mercy petition of a man who has been sentenced to death for the killing of Bangladesh's founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was rejected on 8 April 2020 by incumbent President Md Abdul Hamid, a media report said.
APRIL 8, 2020TunisiaDEATH PENALTYTUNISIA: 1,420 INMATES RELEASED TO REDUCE PRISON POPULATION
Tunisian President Kais Saied on 31 March 2020 granted a special pardon to 1,420 inmates in order to reduce the country's prison population amid the spread of the coronavirus, official news agency TAP reported.
APRIL 7, 2020MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO: KING MOHAMMED VI GRANTS EXCEPTIONAL PARDON TO 5,654 PRISONERS
King Mohammed VI ordered on 5 April 2020 the release of 5,654 detainees in an exceptional royal pardon due to the COVID-19 crisis.
APRIL 6, 2020ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: EIGHT DEATH SENTENCES COMMUTED AND 1.680 INMATES RELEASED
At least eight prisoners, who have been on the death row for periods ranging from 10 to 12 years, this week had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment in line with the recent Presidential clemency order, ZimEye reported on 4 April 2020.
- APRIL 4, 2020DEATH BY PUNISHMENT
PRISONER DEAD FROM CORONAVIRUS, HANDS OFF CAIN ASKS THAT HEAD OF GOVERNMENT AND HEAD OF STATE INTERVENE
The association "Hands off Cain-Spes contra spem", faced with the news of the first death of a prisoner linked to the coronavirus, which follows the equally tragic news of two prison officers who died in recent days, "asks the Prime Minister and the Presi
APRIL 2, 2020KenyaDEATH PENALTYKENYA: 23 DEATH ROW PRISONERS ESCAPE HANGMAN
Twenty three death row inmates at Shimo La Tewa Maximum Security Prison in Kilifi County on 31 March 2020 evaded the hangman's noose.
MARCH 30, 2020ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA PARDONS 5,000 PRISONERS AS HE ORDERS 21-DAY LOCKDOWN
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on 27 March 2020 directed the freeing of 5,000 prisoners with immediate effect as he declared a 21-day coronavirus national lockdown.
MARCH 28, 2020Sri LankaDEATH PENALTYSRI LANKA: PRESIDENT PARDONS SOLDIER WHO KILLED TAMIL CIVILIANS
Sri Lanka's president on 26 March 2020 pardoned and released an army officer sentenced to death for slitting the throats of Tamil civilians, including four children, during the island's bloody ethnic war.
- MARCH 23, 2020ColoradoDEATH PENALTY
USA - Colorado. Colorado Abolishes Death Penalty.
USA - Colorado. Colorado Abolishes Death Penalty.
MARCH 23, 2020SyriaDEATH PENALTYSYRIA: PRESIDENT ASSAD ISSUES AMNESTY, REDUCES SENTENCES
Syrian President Bashar Assad granted amnesty and reduced sentences for all crimes committed before 22 March 2020, while also offering amnesty to military deserters who turn themselves in within the next few months.
MARCH 20, 2020DEATH PENALTYIRAN: SUPREME LEADER TO PARDON 10,000 INCLUDING POLITICAL PRISONERS
The Spokesman of Iran’s Judiciary on 19 March 2020 said Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will pardon about 10,000 prisoners “more than half of who are serving security-related jail terms”.
- MARCH 18, 2020IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Supreme Leader To Pardon 10,000
IRAN - Supreme Leader To Pardon 10,000
- MARCH 10, 2020DEATH BY PUNISHMENT
CORONAVIRUS. PRISON, APPEAL OF HANDS OFF CAIN FOR NONVIOLENCE
Faced with the news of riots underway in prisons, the association Hands Off Cain - Spes contra Spem appeals to the entire prison community, made up of prisoners, managers and prison operators, so that the behaviors are in the name of nonviolence and dialo
FEBRUARY 20, 2020TennesseeDEATH PENALTYUSA - Tennessee. Tennessee Has Electrocuted Nicholas Sutton.
USA - Tennessee. Tennessee Has Electrocuted Nicholas Sutton.
FEBRUARY 13, 2020NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: GOMBE GOVERNOR PARDONS 31 PRISONERS
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, on 12 February 2020 pardoned 31 prisoners and commuted the death penalty passed on one other convict to 21-year imprisonment.
- JANUARY 31, 2020DEATH PENALTY
GEORGIA (USA): HOURS BEFORE HE WAS TO BE EXECUTED, JIMMY FLETCHER MEDERS WAS GRANTED CLEMENCY
Hours before he was to be executed, Jimmy Fletcher Meders was granted clemency — largely because of what the jurors said when they were contacted 30 years after the trial.
- JANUARY 17, 2020TennesseeDEATH PENALTY
USA - Tennessee. Correction Officials Ask for Clemency for Nick Sutton.
USA - Tennessee. Correction Officials Ask for Clemency for Nick Sutton.
JANUARY 16, 2020DEATH PENALTYUSA - Georgia. Hours before he was to be executed, Jimmy Fletcher Meders was granted clemency
USA - Georgia. Hours before he was to be executed, Jimmy Fletcher Meders was granted clemency
JANUARY 14, 2020BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: SC UPHOLDS QAISAR’S DEATH PENALTY
The Supreme Court on 14 January 2020 upheld the death sentence of Jatiya Party leader Syed Mohammad Qaisar for his crimes against humanity and war crimes during the Liberation War of the country in 1971.
JANUARY 7, 2020DEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: OBASEKI RELEASES ONE, TRANSMUTES DEATH SENTENCE OF FOUR PRISONERS
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has approved the conversion of the death sentence of four prisoners to life imprisonment, The Nation reported on 2nd January 2020.
JANUARY 2, 2020DEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: ONDO STATE GOVERNOR AKEREDOLU PARDONS THREE CONDEMNED INMATES ON DEATH ROW
The Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on 30 December 2019 granted state pardon to three condemned inmates across the various Correctional Centres on death row in the state.
- JANUARY 1, 2020EthiopiaDEATH PENALTY
In 2017, Ethiopia became de facto abolitionist, after 10 consecutive year without executions.
In 2017, Ethiopia became de facto abolitionist, after 10 consecutive year without executions.
- JANUARY 1, 2020ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
After independence from Britain in 1980, there were nine offences which warranted
After independence from Britain in 1980, there were nine offences which warranted
- JANUARY 1, 2020GhanaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books since the inception
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books since the inception
- JANUARY 1, 2020NigerDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: premeditated murder, torture, aggravated theft, treason and offences against the State. Niger has not imposed the death penalty since 1976.
Capital crimes are: premeditated murder, torture, aggravated theft, treason and offences against the State. Niger has not imposed the death penalty since 1976.
- JANUARY 1, 2020MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
Moldova abolished the death penalty for all crimes in December 1995...
Moldova abolished the death penalty for all crimes in December 1995 but the Constitution retains it for crimes committed during war or with an inevitable threat of war.
- JANUARY 1, 2020MaliDEATH PENALTY
Death sentences are given in Mali for serious crimes such as assassinations...
Death sentences are given in Mali for serious crimes such as assassinations...