Artikel 122: Pardon, amnesty
- Pardons shall be granted by Royal Decree upon the recommendation of a court designated by Act of Parliament and with due regard to regulations to be laid down by or pursuant to Act of Parliament.
- Amnesty shall be granted by or pursuant to Act of Parliament.
Explanation
Please note: Only the Dutch-language version of the Constitution has legal effect.
Pardon is the reduction or lifting of the consequences of a judicial ruling. This involves not only the reduction of, for example, a prison sentence, but also of measures that the judge may impose. Amnesty means that a person is no longer punishable. The rules for pardon and amnesty are laid down in a law. That is the Pardon Act.