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 1, 2000BarbadosDEATH 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, 2000KyrgyzstanDEATH PENALTY
A new Penal Code entered into force in January 1998...
A new Penal Code entered into force in January 1998 and reduced the number of capital crimes, also replacing the death penalty with a maximum of 30 years
- JANUARY 1, 2000ThailandDEATH PENALTY
Capital crimes are: murder, drug offenses, rape, theft,...
Capital crimes are: murder, drug offenses, rape, theft, treason, kidnapping, arson, spying and hijacking
- JANUARY 1, 2000IndiaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is provided for by the Penal Code...
The death penalty is provided for by the Penal Code and by Art
- JANUARY 1, 2000CaliforniaDEATH PENALTY
California does not forbid the execution of the mentally...
California does not forbid the execution of the mentally retarded but does forbid the execution of juvenile offenders
- JANUARY 1, 2000United StatesDEATH PENALTY
Commutations in capital cases on humanitarian grounds
Commutations in capital cases on humanitarian grounds
- DECEMBER 30, 1999UgandaDEATH PENALTY
On December 30, Condemned prisoner Ronald Gabula said...
On December 30, Condemned prisoner Ronald Gabula said over 50 death convicts would soon go to the gallows if President Museveni did not pardon them immediately
- DECEMBER 17, 1999North CarolinaDEATH PENALTY
The most recent (eighty-fourth) person to be freed...
The most recent (eighty-fourth) person to be freed from death row in the U
- DECEMBER 12, 1999ItalyDEATH PENALTY
On December 12, the initiative "The Coliseum illuminates...
On December 12, the initiative "The Coliseum illuminates life" was inaugurated
- DECEMBER 6, 1999United StatesDEATH PENALTY
On December 6, the National Jewish/Catholic Consultation,...
On December 6, the National Jewish/Catholic Consultation, a group co-sponsored by the National Council of Synagogues and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs, issued a joint statement calling fo
- NOVEMBER 25, 1999IndiaDEATH PENALTY
On November 25, the Madras High Court set aside the...
On November 25, the Madras High Court set aside the Tamil Nadu Governor's order rejecting the clemency petitions of the four condemned prisoners
- NOVEMBER 18, 1999Myanmar (Burma)DEATH PENALTY
On November 18, Burmese leader Khin Nyunt delivered...
On November 18, Burmese leader Khin Nyunt delivered a comprehensive speech in defense of the country's political system and human rights
- NOVEMBER 11, 1999IndiaDEATH PENALTY
On November 11, former Director-General of Police V
On November 11, former Director-General of Police V
- NOVEMBER 2, 1999IndiaDEATH PENALTY
Also on November 2, the four moved the Madras High...
Also on November 2, the four moved the Madras High Court, seeking a directive to declare the rejection of their mercy petitions by Tamil Nadu Governor Justice M
- OCTOBER 26, 1999UgandaDEATH PENALTY
On October 26, President Museveni announced that he...
On October 26, President Museveni announced that he had pardoned a notorious Idi Amin army officer
- OCTOBER 18, 1999IndiaDEATH PENALTY
On October 18, the TADA Court, Chennai, had fixed November...
On October 18, the TADA Court, Chennai, had fixed November 5 for the hanging of the four condemned prisoners
- SEPTEMBER 30, 1999ItalyDEATH PENALTY
On September 30, the Rome Court of Appeal upheld the...
On September 30, the Rome Court of Appeal upheld the request for extradition presented by the authorities of the People's Republic of China with regard to Song Zhicai, a Chinese citizen arrested in Italy on November 6, 1998, with a international warrant i
- SEPTEMBER 28, 1999ThailandDEATH PENALTY
On September 28, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp had his death...
On September 28, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment
- SEPTEMBER 24, 1999ThailandDEATH PENALTY
On September 24, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp, 42, a Thai...
On September 24, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp, 42, a Thai businessman convicted of cheating a state firm of about US$176,000 assets by the Vietnamese Appeal Court on July 2, had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment following intervention by the Thai
- SEPTEMBER 24, 1999VietnamDEATH PENALTY
On September 24, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp, 42, a Thai...
On September 24, Visanu Chokthavee Sarp, 42, a Thai businessman convicted of cheating a state firm of about US$176,000 in assets by the Vietnamese Appeal Court on July 2, had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment following intervention by the T
- SEPTEMBER 1, 1999IndiaDEATH PENALTY
In September, the Supreme Court refused to commute...
In September, the Supreme Court refused to commute the death sentence to a life term for Dharmendra and Narendra, who brutally murdered 5 members of a family, including 3 children on the night between May 26-27, 1994
- SEPTEMBER 1, 1999IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
In September, it seems that the clemency requests made...
In September, it seems that the clemency requests made by Ayodya Prasad Chauboy of India, Saelon Prasad and Namsong Sirilok from Thailand, and Thom Tuck Yen from Malaysia were rejected
- AUGUST 25, 1999IndonesiaDEATH PENALTY
On August 25, the Director General of Correctional...
On August 25, the Director General of Correctional Institutions, Hasanuddin, said 16 convicts, including 3 women and 6 foreigners, were scheduled for execution in the near future after being convicted for premeditated murder or the production and traffick
- AUGUST 24, 1999St. LuciaDEATH PENALTY
On August 24, a delegation led by the Italian Vice...
On August 24, a delegation led by the Italian Vice President of the Chamber of Deputies' Committee on Foreign Affairs Enzo Trantino, and composed of Ambassador Claudio Moreno, and Hands Off Cain's representatives Sergio D'Elia, Secretary, and Elisabetta Z
- AUGUST 4, 1999ThailandDEATH PENALTY
On August 4, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai appealed...
On August 4, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai appealed by letter to Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Van Khai to spare the first Thai national sentenced to death on a fraud charge
- JULY 22, 1999BahamasDEATH PENALTY
On July 22, the Bahamian Mercy Committee reviewed the...
On July 22, the Bahamian Mercy Committee reviewed the capital sentences of John Higgs, 50, and David Mitchell, 26, and advised that mercy was not warranted
- JULY 1, 1999FloridaDEATH PENALTY
On July 1, 1999, Florida's Catholic bishops called on Gov
On July 1, 1999, Florida's Catholic bishops called on Gov
- JUNE 1, 1999AlgeriaDEATH PENALTY
In June, President Bouteflika decided to grant mercy...
In June, President Bouteflika decided to grant mercy to fundamentalists if they surrendered following the "civil conciliation" law, approved by a large majority of the Parliament and part of an agreement between Government and the group "Islamic Army of S
- MAY 12, 1999VirginiaDEATH PENALTY
On May 12, Governor James Gilmore granted his first...
On May 12, Governor James Gilmore granted his first clemency in a capital case after 21 executions to Calvin Swann
- APRIL 1, 1999Sri LankaDEATH PENALTY
In April, Bishop Malcolm Ranjith, Secretary of the...
In April, Bishop Malcolm Ranjith, Secretary of the influential Catholic Bishops Conference said: "We appreciate the Government's interest in restoring law and order, but we are not in favor of the death penalty