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 7, 2008DEATH PENALTY
LIBYA. GHANAIAN ON DEATH ROW APPEALS FOR RELEASE
Kwabena Kamkam, the Ghanaian on death row in Libya, says he faces imminent
- APRIL 4, 2008United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
VIETNAM. BRITISH MAN ESCAPES DEATH SENTENCE
A Vietnamese-born British citizen condemned to death for heroin trafficking has
- APRIL 2, 2008North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
Glen Chapman, 40, was released from Central Prison on Wednesday
Glen Chapman, 40, was released from Central Prison on Wednesday
- MARCH 31, 2008KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
DEATH SENTENCE OF KUWAITI COMMUTED IN COLLEAGUE’S MURDER
the Court of Appeals in Kuwait commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence of a Kuwaiti man, identified as Jarrah N., who was charged with the premeditated murder of his colleague at Sabhan Fire Station.
- MARCH 25, 2008MexicoDEATH PENALTY
The U.S. Supreme Court, in the Medellin v. Texas case, ruled in a 6-3 decision that the President does not have the authority to order states to follow decisions of the International Court of Justice
The U.S. Supreme Court, in the Medellin v. Texas case, ruled in a 6-3 decision that the President does not have the authority to order states to follow decisions of the International Court of Justice
- MARCH 20, 2008AlgeriaDEATH PENALTY
Mokhtar Belmokhtar, alias Abou El Abbas...
Mokhtar Belmokhtar, alias Abou El Abbas...
- MARCH 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. WOMAN WITH DEATH SENTENCE RELEASED WITH SON
Mokarrameh Ebrahimi, the woman who was sentenced to stoning to death for
- MARCH 5, 2008AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA. DEATH PENALTY LIFTED FOR 3 AUSTRALIANS
three Australians in jail in Indonesia, members of the so-called ‘Bali Nine’
- MARCH 5, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the High Court in Delhi, India, commuted the death sentence of Tyagi...
the High Court in Delhi, India, commuted the death sentence of Tyagi...
- FEBRUARY 29, 2008LibyaDEATH PENALTY
GOVERNMENT SECURES PARDON FOR KANKAM
a Ghanaian citizen, Kwabena Kankam, sentenced to death in Lybia, was pardoned
- FEBRUARY 26, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Madras High Court in India commuted the death sentence of a man, identified
the Madras High Court in India commuted the death sentence of a man, identified
- FEBRUARY 20, 2008TunisiaDEATH PENALTY
TUNISIA. APPEALS COURT COMMUTES TERRORISM DEATH SENTENCE
a Tunisian appeals court commuted the death sentence of a suspected Islamic
- JANUARY 30, 2008MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
the King of Malaysia pardoned Lee Fook Mun, alias Omar Iskandar Lee
the King of Malaysia pardoned Lee Fook Mun, alias Omar Iskandar Lee
- JANUARY 17, 2008VirginiaDEATH PENALTY
VIRGINIA (USA). ATKINS' DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED TO LIFE
The death sentence for Daryl Atkins was commuted to life in prison after York
- JANUARY 16, 2008PennsylvaniaDEATH PENALTY
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge William Mazzola threw out the death sentence...
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge William Mazzola threw out the death sentence...
- JANUARY 9, 2008OhioDEATH PENALTY
OHIO (USA). GOVERNOR COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE
Death row inmate John Spirko, 61, wanted a pardon or the chance to
- JANUARY 4, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: AIADMK MEN ON DEATH ROW GET MORE TIME
three AIADMK party men, sentenced to death in India for the 2002 Dharmapuri bus burning in which three women were killed, got a short reprieve after the Tamil Nadu government told the high court that capital punishment would be implemented only after the
- JANUARY 1, 2008BelarusDEATH PENALTY
Article 24 of the constitution reads that
Article 24 of the constitution reads that "the death penalty...
- JANUARY 1, 2008KenyaDEATH PENALTY
Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes.
Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes.
- JANUARY 1, 2008MalawiDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are murder...
- JANUARY 1, 2008St. Kitts & NevisDEATH PENALTY
Murder is the only death-qualifiable offence.
Murder is the only death-qualifiable offence.
- JANUARY 1, 2008BotswanaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been in force in Botswana since the country became independent in 1966.
The death penalty has been in force in Botswana since the country became independent in 1966.
- JANUARY 1, 2008GhanaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books...
The death penalty has been in Ghana’s statute books since the inception of English common law in the country in 1874.
- JANUARY 1, 2008ZambiaDEATH PENALTY
The Zambia Constitution of 1991, allows the death penalty in Part III
The Zambia Constitution of 1991, allows the death penalty in Part III
- JANUARY 1, 2008MoldovaDEATH 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.
- DECEMBER 31, 2007South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
SOUTH KOREA PARDONS SIX ON DEATH ROW
in South Korea, six inmates on death row had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment
- DECEMBER 10, 2007KentuckyDEATH PENALTY
Hours before vacating his office, Gov. Ernie Fletcher pardoned or commuted the sentences...
Hours before vacating his office, Gov. Ernie Fletcher pardoned or commuted the sentences...
- DECEMBER 3, 2007Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTY
TWO THAI’S DEATH SENTENCES COMMUTED IN MYANMAR AMNESTY
the Myanmar government granted amnesty to 35 Thais held in Myanmar jails in deference to the auspicious year when Thailand celebrates the upcoming 80th birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
- NOVEMBER 28, 2007JordanDEATH PENALTY
JORDAN. DEATH PENALTY COMMUTED FOR AL-QAIDA MILITANT CONVICTED OF SLAYING A US DIPLOMAT
Jordan's military court commuted a 2004 death sentence against an al-Qaida
- NOVEMBER 27, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MERCY PLEAS DELAY COUPLE’S EXECUTION
a husband and wife on death row at the Ambala Central Jail in India had their execution stayed after filing a mercy petition with the President.