amnesty
Origin of amnesty
synonym study for amnesty
Words nearby amnesty
MORE ABOUT AMNESTY
What does amnesty mean?
Amnesty is a pardon for offenses against a government, especially before a trial or conviction for those offenses.
Amnesty also means an overlooking of past offenses.
In law, amnesty refers to an act of forgiveness for past offenses, often issued to a class of people.
An amnesty is a pardon for criminal offenses. However, a pardon can only be given after someone is judged guilty. Amnesty can be given before a judgment is made.
Amnesty often also refers to the process of allowing undocumented immigrants stay in the country rather than be deported.
Sometimes, an amnesty is named after the thing being forgiven. For example, an amnesty that says as long as you give in your illegal guns to the government you won’t be prosecuted for illegal ownership would be called a gun amnesty or firearm amnesty.
Example: The government offered an amnesty for anyone owning an illegal weapon if they handed the weapon in before the deadline.
Where does amnesty come from?
The first records of the term amnesty come from around the 1570s. It ultimately comes from the Greek word amnēstía, meaning “oblivion.”
Did you know … ?
How is amnesty used in real life?
Amnesty is generally used to describe pardons for criminal offenses, but you’ll see it in the name of the charitable organization Amnesty International.
Nigerian bandits have started selling their kidnapped victims in the international slave market
Katsina state, Buhari's home state, is leading in the supply of the slaves
But activists are being charged for treason while the same bandits are being given amnesty and state pardon
— nafeeu 🇺🇦 (@nafeezi) September 30, 2019
UPDATE: The Spanish government will challenge motions passed by the Catalan parliament on Thursday seeking self-determination, amnesty and the removal of Spain’s Guardia Civil police from #Catalonia.
— Josep Goded (@josepgoded) September 27, 2019
Amnesty International urges Pakistan to release 'Prisoner Of Conscience' Junaid Hafeez charged with Blasphemy for his Facebook posts.
He is in solitary confinement since 2014 on death row.
— Imtiaz Mahmood (@ImtiazMadmood) September 26, 2019
Try using amnesty!
Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of amnesty?
A. pardon
B. immunity
C. reprieve
D. blame