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
- AUGUST 20, 2008Trinidad & TobagoDEATH PENALTY
the Trinidad and Tobago government says it will seek to amend existing legislation to make it easier to carry
the Trinidad and Tobago government says it will seek to amend existing legislation to make it easier to carry
- AUGUST 15, 2008Trinidad & TobagoDEATH PENALTY
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: 52 ESCAPE DEATH ROW
fifty-two people in Trinidad & Tobago convicted of murder had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment after Justice Nolan Bereaux at the Port-of-Spain High Court ruled in favour of a Constitutional motion brought by the prisoners, that they be
- AUGUST 14, 2008OhioDEATH PENALTY
USA - Ohio. Nearly 23 years after first sentencing Frederick Dickerson to death, a three-judge panel permanently released him from death row today.
USA - Ohio. Nearly 23 years after first sentencing Frederick Dickerson to death, a three-judge panel permanently released him from death row today.
- AUGUST 13, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTY
a debate on the proposed commutation of death sentences...
a debate on the proposed commutation of death sentences into life imprisonment dominated Pakistan’s Punjab Assembly (PA).
- AUGUST 5, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN SUSPENDS DEATH BY STONING
Iran suspended the punishment of death by stoning, state media announced.
- JULY 24, 2008OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
USA - Gov. Brad Henry today approved clemency for Kevin Young
USA - Gov. Brad Henry today approved clemency for Kevin Young
- JULY 22, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Indian Supreme Court commuted the death sentence awarded to Swami Shardanand
the Indian Supreme Court commuted the death sentence awarded to Swami Shardanand
- JULY 21, 2008BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BANGLADESH: HC COMMUTES AZAM REZA'S DEATH SENTENCE
the Bangladeshi High Court commuted the death sentence of Azam Reza to a life term imprisonment in the murder of Jayanti Reza, Azam's wife.
- JULY 21, 2008BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
BOTSWANA: TSOBANE’S DEATH SENTENCE APPEAL DISMISSED
the fate of death row inmate Kedisaletse Tsobane now lies with Botswanan President Ian Khama, after the Court of Appeal dismissed his case.
- JULY 11, 2008CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
USA - The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California has set aside the death-penalty sentence for Chay'im Ben-Sholom
USA - The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California has set aside the death-penalty sentence for Chay'im Ben-Sholom
JULY 10, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYEP. RESOLUTION IN FAVOUR OF TROY DAVIS ADOPTED
the European Parliament adopted a resolution proposed by the Radicals and reaffirmed their active
- JULY 8, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Qatar freed a Saudi Arabian sentenced to death...
Qatar freed a Saudi Arabian sentenced to death...
- JULY 8, 2008PhilippinesDEATH PENALTY
KUWAITI EMIR COMMUTES FILIPINO’S DEATH SENTENCE TO LIFE
the death sentence of May Vecina, a Filipino overseas worker sentenced to death for killing her six year old ward in Kuwait, was commuted to life imprisonment by the Emir of Kuwait, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.
JULY 4, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN. LAW MINISTRY OPPOSED COMMUTATION OF DEATH PENALTIES
the Pakistan Law Ministry strongly opposed the federal cabinet approving the commutation of the
- JULY 2, 2008VietnamDEATH PENALTY
Australia urged Vietnam to spare two Australians...
Australia urged Vietnam to spare two Australians...
- JULY 1, 2008MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA. NINE DEATH SENTENCES COMMUTED
nine convicts who were sentenced to death won their petitions filed to the Pardons Board.
JUNE 29, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA. ‘JUDGES SHOULD NOT BE LENIENT WHILE DEALING WITH GRAVE CRIMES’
Judges should not be lenient while sentencing those who have committed
- JUNE 28, 2008IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
USA - The assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association has voted to support abolishing the death penalty in the state.
USA - The assembly of the Illinois State Bar Association has voted to support abolishing the death penalty in the state.
JUNE 21, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN. PM URGES: ALL DEATH SENTENCES SHOULD BE COMMUTED TO HONOR BHUTTO
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani called for his country's thousands of death sentences
- JUNE 17, 2008AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
John Lionel Neal who twice received the death sentence, has had his sentence changed to life in prison without parole after being ruled mentally disabled.
John Lionel Neal who twice received the death sentence, has had his sentence changed to life in prison without parole after being ruled mentally disabled.
- JUNE 11, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the chief investigator of the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv..
the chief investigator of the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv...
JUNE 9, 2008VirginiaDEATH PENALTYVIRGINIA (USA). KAINE COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE FOR TRIPLE MURDER
in the United States, Virginia Gov Timothy Kaine stopped tomorrow's execution
- MAY 21, 2008JordanDEATH PENALTY
JORDAN COMMUTES EIGHT AL-QAEDA DEATH VERDICTS TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
Jordan's State Security Court (SSC) commuted the death penalty passed on eight al-Qaeda-linked suspects to life imprisonment, judicial sources said.
- MAY 12, 2008ChinaDEATH PENALTY
CHINA: CHINESE COURT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES OF NEPALESE PAIR
a Chinese court commuted the capital punishment for two Nepalis who were convicted in a case of drug trafficking to life imprisonment.
MAY 6, 2008Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. DEATH SENTENCE FOR BAHRAINI COMMUTED
in Saudi Arabia, the death sentence of Bahraini national Maki Ali Abbas, 46, was commuted
- MAY 1, 2008TaiwanDEATH PENALTY
TAIWAN: DEPRESSED MAN’S DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO LIFE
the Supreme Court in Taiwan commuted the death sentence of a motorist for killing his friend whom he had suspected of stealing NT$700 to life imprisonment.
APRIL 29, 2008PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN. SC SEEKS AG’S EXPLANATION
a three member bench of the Pakistani Supreme Court directed the attorney general to report whether
APRIL 29, 2008UzbekistanDEATH PENALTYUZBEKISTAN. DEATH SENTENCES REVISED
with capital punishment in the country abolished, the Supreme Court of
APRIL 29, 2008CubaDEATH PENALTYCUBA. D'ELIA, COMMUTATION OF DEATH SENTENCES AN IMPORTANT HUMANITARIAN ACT
"we are happy that President Raul Castro has commuted almost all death sentences in Cuba," Sergio D'Elia, Hands Off Cain Secretary, said.
APRIL 28, 2008CubaDEATH PENALTYCUBA'S RAUL CASTRO COMMUTES MOST DEATH SENTENCES
New Cuban President Raul Castro announced that all death sentences had been commuted to prison terms o