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
- DECEMBER 3, 2007ThailandDEATH 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.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2007KenyaDEATH PENALTY
KENYA: MAN SENT TO THE GALLOWS FOR SECOND TIME
a Kenyan court imposed the death sentence
- NOVEMBER 6, 2007IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
INDONESIA DENIES CLEMENCY TO SMUGGLERS
Indonesia's president rejected clemency pleas by five foreign drug smugglers and will push ahead with their executions
NOVEMBER 2, 2007BotswanaDEATH PENALTYBOTSWANA. POPO HANGED SECRETLY - JOINA
Thema Joina, the lawyer of Sepeni Popo, said his
OCTOBER 17, 2007GuatemalaDEATH PENALTYGUATEMALA. DEATH SENTENCE COMMUTED
Guatemala commuted a death sentence handed down in 1999 to
- OCTOBER 2, 2007HondurasDEATH PENALTY
HONDURAS HOPES TO STOP EXECUTION IN US
the government of Honduras continues to expect mercy from the US authorities...
OCTOBER 2, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA. EBONYI, KATSINA, SOKOTO PARDON 86 PRISONERS
three states in Nigeria- Ebonyi, Katsina and Sokoto - released a total of 86
- OCTOBER 1, 2007GuatemalaDEATH PENALTY
GUATEMALA. BOTH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES PLEDGE TO REVIVE DEATH PENALTY
the two presidential candidates in Guatemala’s November 4 runoff election have
- AUGUST 26, 2007United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE: TAXI DRIVER'S DEATH PENALTY COMMUTED TO 5 YEARS IN JAIL
a taxi driver death's sentence was commuted to five years by the Appeal Court of the United Arab Emirates.
- AUGUST 15, 2007Congo - BrazzavilleDEATH PENALTY
CONGO: PRESIDENT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES OF 17 PRISONERS
Congolese President Denis Sassou Nguesso granted general pardons on the occasion of Congo's National Day
- AUGUST 14, 2007IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
former death row inmate Aaron Patterson, who received a gubernatorial...
former death row inmate Aaron Patterson, who received a gubernatorial pardon in 2003, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison on gun and drug charges.
- AUGUST 10, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Indian Supreme Court commuted Kulwinder Singh’s death sentence to life imprisonment.
the Indian Supreme Court commuted Kulwinder Singh’s death sentence to life imprisonment.
AUGUST 2, 2007ZambiaDEATH PENALTYZAMBIA. PRESIDENT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES OF 97 PRISONERS
Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa has commuted to life imprisonment the death sentences of 97 prisoners who were on death row, according to a statement released in Lusaka
JULY 29, 2007JordanDEATH PENALTYJORDAN. KING COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES OF SEVEN MILITANTS
Jordan's King Abdullah II commuted the death sentences of seven Islamic militants
JULY 17, 2007LibyaDEATH PENALTYLIBYA LIFTS EXECUTION FOR HIV MEDICS AFTER PAYMENTS TO FAMILIES OF INFECTED CHILDREN
Libya dropped death sentences against five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor accused of infecting hundreds of children with HIV, commuting their punishments to life in prison, the foreign minister said
JULY 16, 2007Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTYSAUDI ARABIA. GROUP SEEKS 400 PARDONS
Saudi Arabia's Higher Committee for Reconciliation is seeking pardons for 400 death
- JUNE 19, 2007KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
KUWAIT FOUR SPARED DEATH, GIVEN LIFE SENTENCE
Kuwait’s highest court commuted the 2005 death sentences...
- JUNE 12, 2007JordanDEATH PENALTY
JORDAN'S APPEALS CRT COMMUTES SENTENCES FOR ATTACK PLOTTERS
Jordan's Appeals Court commuted death sentences issued by a military court in September 2000 against Khader Abu-Hosher, and his coconspirator Osama Samar.
MAY 31, 2007SomaliaDEATH PENALTYSOMALILAND CANCELS EXECUTIONS FOR AID WORKER KILLERS
The president of the breakaway enclave of Somaliland commuted death sentences against two men
- MAY 16, 2007NigeriaDEATH PENALTY
NIGERIA FREES ELDERLY PRISONERS BEFORE POWER SHIFT
Nigeria has granted an amnesty to all prisoners over 70 and to those over 60 who have been on death row
MAY 7, 2007QatarDEATH PENALTYQATAR APPEAL COURT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE OF THREE IRANIANS
an appeals court in Doha, Qatar, commuted the death sentences issued to three Iranians to life sentences
APRIL 3, 2007IraqDEATH PENALTYthe Parliament of Iraqi Kurdistan, an autonomous
the Parliament of Iraqi Kurdistan, an autonomous
- MARCH 9, 2007TexasDEATH PENALTY
Gov. Rick Perry commuted to life in prison the sentence for Doil Edward Lane.
Gov. Rick Perry commuted to life in prison the sentence for Doil Edward Lane.
MARCH 6, 2007GhanaDEATH PENALTYGHANA FREES OR COMMUTES SENTENCES OF 1,206 PRISONERS
Ghana’s President, John Kufuor, freed or commuted the sentences of 1,206 prisoners to mark the 50th
MARCH 2, 2007MoroccoDEATH PENALTYMOROCCO. HUGE AMNESTY SIGNALS HISTORIC DAY
King Mohammed VI of Morocco has pardoned almost 9,000 prisoners, on the occasion of the birth on February 28 of his daughter Lalla Khadija, the Justice ministry affirmed.
- JANUARY 18, 2007IndiaDEATH PENALTY
MEN CHARGED WITH BARNALI KILLING SPARED NOOSE
the Indian Supreme Court has commuted the capital punishment of two convicts to life terms in the sensational Barnali Deb rape-and-murder case.
- JANUARY 1, 2007KenyaDEATH PENALTY
Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes.
Murder, treason and armed robbery are capital crimes.
- JANUARY 1, 2007MalawiDEATH 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...