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
- JANUARY 31, 2003PakistanDEATH PENALTY
The Sindh High Court commuted the death sentence of...
The Sindh High Court commuted the death sentence of Abdul Hussain Khaskehli awarded to him on 6 May 2000
- JANUARY 28, 2003IranDEATH PENALTY
The Iranian Supreme Court commuted the death sentences...
The Iranian Supreme Court commuted the death sentences of at least two former secret agents found guilty of the murders of four dissidents in 1998
- JANUARY 11, 2003ZimbabweDEATH PENALTY
It was reported that the Supreme Court commuted to...
It was reported that the Supreme Court commuted to life imprisonment a death penalty imposed by the High Court on Robert Mugwanda
- JANUARY 11, 2003IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
In the largest purge of death row in US history, Illinois...
In the largest purge of death row in US history, Illinois Gov
- JANUARY 10, 2003IndiaDEATH PENALTY
The Patna High Court commuted the death sentence awarded...
The Patna High Court commuted the death sentence awarded to Arnit Das, a murder case convict, to life imprisonment
- JANUARY 9, 2003MexicoDEATH PENALTY
Mexico filed a complaint against the United States...
Mexico filed a complaint against the United States in the International Court of Justice charging that American officials have violated the rights of all 54 Mexicans on death row in the United States and asking that their executions be commuted
- JANUARY 7, 2003Congo - KinshasaDEATH PENALTY
A former aide to the late Congolese President Laurent-Desire...
A former aide to the late Congolese President Laurent-Desire Kabila, Colonel Eddy Kapend, was sentenced to death for killing the president
- JANUARY 3, 2003SudanDEATH PENALTY
The European Union called on Sudan to commute the sentences...
The European Union called on Sudan to commute the sentences of five people who had been sentenced to death and were to be executed on January 5, a statement issued by the Greek foreign ministry said
- JANUARY 1, 2003BarbadosDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is mandatory for murder and treason...
The death penalty is mandatory for murder and treason - but not for mutiny
- JANUARY 1, 2003JamaicaDEATH PENALTY
Jamaica is a British Independent Territory that retains...
Jamaica is a British Independent Territory that retains the death penalty, but for which the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the final court of appeal
- JANUARY 1, 2003BulgariaDEATH PENALTY
The Bulgarian Vice-President commuted the 21 death...
The Bulgarian Vice-President commuted the 21 death sentences passed between 1990 and 1998 to life imprisonment upon the abolition of the death penalty in December 1998
- JANUARY 1, 2003MoldovaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty has been retained in the internationally...
The death penalty has been retained in the internationally unrecognized separatist entity of Transdniestria
- JANUARY 1, 2003FloridaDEATH PENALTY
Florida does not forbid the execution of juvenile offenders...
Florida does not forbid the execution of juvenile offenders from the age of 17
- JANUARY 1, 2003ArkansasDEATH PENALTY
Arkansas allows the execution of juvenile offenders...
Arkansas allows the execution of juvenile offenders of 16 years and above but forbids the execution of mentally retarded
- JANUARY 1, 2003ArizonaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is applied to those of 16 years and over
The death penalty is applied to those of 16 years and over
- JANUARY 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
Ghana still retains the death penalty on the statute books
Ghana still retains the death penalty on the statute books
- JANUARY 1, 2003EgyptDEATH PENALTY
Egypt retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes
Egypt retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes
- JANUARY 1, 2003GhanaDEATH PENALTY
No executions have taken place since July 1993, when...
No executions have taken place since July 1993, when 12 prisoners who had been convicted of armed robbery or murder were executed by firing squad
- JANUARY 1, 2003AlabamaDEATH PENALTY
Alabama does allow the execution of juvenile offenders...
Alabama does allow the execution of juvenile offenders from 16 years onwards but does have life without parole
- JANUARY 1, 2003CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
California does forbid the execution of juvenile offenders...
California does forbid the execution of juvenile offenders but, as a result of the Atkins v
- DECEMBER 30, 2002South KoreaDEATH PENALTY
The Justice Ministry declared that the government pardoned...
The Justice Ministry declared that the government pardoned 122 prisoners
- DECEMBER 23, 2002VietnamDEATH PENALTY
"I am disappointed that on 23 December the People's...
"I am disappointed that on 23 December the People's Supreme Court in Ho Chi Minh City upheld the death sentence imposed on Australian citizen, Le My Linh, following her conviction for 'transporting' heroin," read a statement issued by Australian Foreign A
- DECEMBER 23, 2002AustraliaDEATH PENALTY
"I am disappointed that on 23 December the People's...
"I am disappointed that on 23 December the People's Supreme Court in Ho Chi Minh City upheld the death sentence imposed on Australian citizen, Le My Linh, following her conviction for 'transporting' heroin," read a statement issued by Australian Foreign A
- DECEMBER 20, 2002IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
Aaron Patterson, an Illinois death row inmate with...
Aaron Patterson, an Illinois death row inmate with a strong claim of innocence went on hunger strike to ask Illinois Governor George Ryan for a pardon, rather than a commutation of his death sentence
- DECEMBER 17, 2002OklahomaDEATH PENALTY
In McAlester, Ernest Carter died at 6:14 p
In McAlester, Ernest Carter died at 6:14 p
- DECEMBER 4, 2002Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
Saudi King Fahd commuted the death sentences of 17...
Saudi King Fahd commuted the death sentences of 17 Saudis convicted of rioting, ordering them to instead serve 10 years in jail, the Interior Ministry said
- DECEMBER 2, 2002IllinoisDEATH PENALTY
A group of retired state and federal judges is urging Gov
A group of retired state and federal judges is urging Gov
- NOVEMBER 21, 2002NevadaDEATH PENALTY
In Carson City, the state Board of Pardons has commuted...
In Carson City, the state Board of Pardons has commuted the death sentence of 2-time killer Thomas Nevius to life in prison without the possibility of parole because he is borderline mentally retarded
- NOVEMBER 14, 2002FijiDEATH PENALTY
A Fiji military court sentenced the leader of a failed...
A Fiji military court sentenced the leader of a failed mutiny to death but court officials said the sentence was automatically commuted to life in prison
- NOVEMBER 14, 2002United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Pakistani protesters burned the US flag and called...
Pakistani protesters burned the US flag and called for a strike in the home town of a Muslim militant due to be executed later in the day in the United States