amnesty

3 definitions • 4 examples

a decision by a government that allows political prisoners to go free:

Most political prisoners were freed under the terms of the amnesty.

a fixed period of time during which people are not punished for committing a particular crime:

People who hand in illegal weapons will not be prosecuted during the amnesty.

The government refused to declare an amnesty for people who had not paid the disputed tax.

a decision by a government to forgive people who have committed particular illegal acts or crimes, and not to punish them:

[ C ] The state has declared an amnesty for individuals who pay their outstanding back taxes.