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
JULY 22, 2015IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: YAKUB MEMON FILES FRESH MERCY PLEA BEFORE PRESIDENT
The execution of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts convict Yakub Memon might be delayed as he reportedly handed over a fresh plea for mercy to Nagpur central jail authorities, to be forwarded to the President
JULY 22, 2015GambiaDEATH PENALTYGAMBIA: PRESIDENT YAHYA JAMMEH GRANTS PARDONS BUT COUP PLOTTERS REMAIN ON DEATH ROW
Gambian President Yahya Jammeh pardoned several death-row inmates on July 22, the 21st anniversary of his arrival to power, but notably excluded those accused of launching a failed coup in December.
JULY 16, 2015DEATH PENALTYUSA: PRESIDENT OBAMA VISITS FEDERAL PRISON, EXTENDING HIS CAMPAIGN FOR REFORM IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. HE IS THE FIRST SITTING PRESIDENT TO SEE THE INSIDE A FEDERAL PRISON FIRST HAND
The president visited the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution in Oklahoma, a complex which includes sections of buildings separated by large green yards and barbed wire fences.
- JULY 16, 2015United StatesDEATH PENALTY
USA - President Obama Visits Federal Prison, extending his campaign for reform in the criminal justice system.
USA - President Obama Visits Federal Prison, extending his campaign for reform in the criminal justice system.
JULY 15, 2015ZimbabweDEATH PENALTYZIMBABWE: LAST WOMAN ON DEATH ROW 'SAVED'
Zimbabwe no longer has female prisoners on death row in compliance with the new constitution.
- JULY 5, 2015GambiaDEATH PENALTY
GAMBIA: PRESIDENT GRANTS AMNESTY TO CONVICTED COUP PLOTTER
Gambia's president granted amnesty to 85 prisoners including a former police official accused of participating in a coup attempt in 2009, state media said.
JUNE 30, 2015GhanaDEATH PENALTYGHANA: PRESIDENT MAHAMA FREES 900 PRISONERS
President John Mahama has freed some 900 prisoners ahead of tomorrow’s Republic Day holiday.
JUNE 29, 2015SingaporeDEATH PENALTYSINGAPORE: HEROIN TRAFFICKER FAILS IN ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE DEATH PENALTY
Kester Ng Wei Ren, a heroin trafficker who has been on death row for more than four years, failed in his
- JUNE 23, 2015FranceDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO SAVE SERGE FROM EXECUTION
JUNE 22, 2015KuwaitDEATH PENALTYKUWAIT: PINAY CONVICT RETURNS HOME AFTER 10-YEAR DETENTION
A Filipina who was saved from the death penalty in Kuwait is set to arrive in the Philippines in the afternoon
- MAY 28, 2015NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Mr Jonah Jang, Governor of Plateau State, with less than twenty-four hours to the end of his tenure, granted
Mr Jonah Jang, Governor of Plateau State, with less than twenty-four hours to the end of his tenure, granted
- MAY 28, 2015NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
Emmanuel Uduaghan , the Governor of the Delta State, granted total pardon to Moses Akatugba who was
Emmanuel Uduaghan , the Governor of the Delta State, granted total pardon to Moses Akatugba who was
MAY 28, 2015DEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: GOV UDUAGHAN GRANTS TOTAL PARDON TO BOY SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR STEALING 3 PHONES IN DELTA
Emmanuel Uduaghan , the Governor of the Delta State, granted total pardon to Moses Akatugba who was
APRIL 22, 2015NigerDEATH PENALTYNIGER: PRESIDENT MAHAMADOU ISSOUFOU ISSUES NEW CLEMENCY MEASURE
President Mahamadou Issoufou issued a new clemency measure, to mark the fourth anniversary of his investiture.
APRIL 21, 2015IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: HC COMMUTES DHARAMPAL'S DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE TERM
Giving benefit of prolonged delay in deciding on his mercy petition by the President, the Punjab and Haryana high court commuted the death sentence of Dharampal, a rape convict from Sonipat who later murdered five members of the rape survivor's family whi
APRIL 14, 2015IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: HIGH COURT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE TERM
Gujarat high court has commuted the death sentence of a convict to life imprisonment in a case of kidnapping and murder of a 9-year-old in Navsari.
APRIL 11, 2015BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBANGLADESH: SENIOR LEADER OF ISLAMIC PARTY HANGED
Bangladeshi authorities executed a top Islamic party official for crimes against humanity committed during the nation’s war of independence more than four decades ago, a senior police official said.
MARCH 30, 2015MalawiDEATH PENALTYMALAWI: 24 CAPITAL PUNISHMENT CASES GONE FOR RETRIAL, 5 REVERSED
At least 24 out of 192 death row inmates have been taken to the High Court for resentencing hearings, and of the 24, five inmates have had their death penalties changed to custodial sentences, Malawi News Agency has learnt.
MARCH 28, 2015AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYAFGHANISTAN: DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED FOR MURDERER OF GERMAN PHOTOGRAPHER NIEDRINGHAUS
The death sentence for the police officer who murdered German photographer Anja Niedringhaus in Afghanistan last April has been commuted. The country's highest court has ruled he serve 20 years jail instead, AP says.
MARCH 26, 2015IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: PRESIDENT PRANAB MUKHERJEE COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE OF A CONVICT TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
after rejecting mercy petitions of 22 convicts on death row, President Pranab Mukherjee commuted the death sentence of a convict to life imprisonment.
MARCH 16, 2015SudanDEATH PENALTYSUDAN: BASHIR PARDONS FIVE DARFUR REBEL FIGURES SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Sudanese president Omer Hassan al-Bashir issued a decree pardoning five convicts from the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) who belong to the faction which signed a peace agreement with Khartoum led by Bakheit Abdul-Karim Dabago.
MARCH 15, 2015IndonesiaDEATH PENALTYINDONESIA: PRESIDENT WIDODO COMMUTES CONVICTED KILLER'S DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has granted the clemency request filed by Dwi Trisna Firmansyah, 28, an inmate convicted of premeditated murder, and changed his sentence from death to life imprisonment.
MARCH 7, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LIFTS MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY OF ALL CONVICTS
the federal government has formally lifted the moratorium on death penalty of all the condemned prisoners.
MARCH 5, 2015MalaysiaDEATH PENALTYMALAYSIA: JOHOR’S SULTAN PARDONS ELEVEN DEATH ROW PRISONERS
the Johor Pardon’s Board, chaired by Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, granted a full pardon to a man on death row and commuted the death sentence of 10 others to life imprisonment, which carries a maximum term of 20 years.
FEBRUARY 21, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: PRESIDENT MAMNOON REJECTS 9 DEATH ROW INMATES’ MERCY PLEAS
Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain turned down during last two days clemency appeals of nine
- FEBRUARY 18, 2015OregonDEATH PENALTY
USA - Oregon. John Kitzhaber leaves governor's office without commuting any death-row sentences
USA - Oregon. John Kitzhaber leaves governor's office without commuting any death-row sentences
JANUARY 27, 2015IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MUMBAI HIGH COURT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE OF SOLAPUR MAN WHO KILLED SON AND NIECE
The Mumbai high court commuted the death sentence of a Solapur man who had killed his three-year-old
- JANUARY 20, 2015IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTHEAST ASIA: UN RIGHTS OFFICE APPEALS FOR HALT IN EXECUTIONS FOR DRUG CRIMES
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concern over
- JANUARY 18, 2015IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA: SIX DRUG CONVICTS EXECUTED BY FIRING SQUAD
Indonesia executed six people, including a national woman and five foreigners, who had all been sentenced to death on drug offences, in the first executions to take place under new President Joko Widodo, who refused to heed all international requests for
- JANUARY 4, 2015NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, in the spirit of New Year granted amnesty to 14
the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, in the spirit of New Year granted amnesty to 14