Definition

• Amnesty is when a person who was convicted of a crime is cleared of all charges. For that person to be given amnesty, something else must happen. Any and all records of the person's accusation, trial, conviction and imprisonment must be wiped from the record. Someone who receives amnesty is considered not only innocent but also as having no legal connection with the crime in the first place.
  
  

Word Root

• The word "amnesty" comes from the Greek word "amnestia," meaning oblivion. It shares this root word with "amnesia," which means a loss of memory.
  
  

Mass Amnesty

• Oftentimes, amnesty is offered as a peace offering during times of revolution or anarchy. For example, those participating in an uprising against an institution or a government might be offered amnesty if they cease their protests. In this case, it was determined that restoring peace is more important than punishing offenders.
  
  One of the most famous cases of this was Great Britain's 1747 offer of amnesty to those who had taken part in the Jacobite uprising 2 years prior.
  
  

Controversy

• Amnesty can be a controversial topic. There are those who think amnesty is the opposite of justice and encourages individuals to act out, knowing they will not be punished if they simply stop what they are doing. Questions about amnesty often come up when the leader of a revolution is offered amnesty if he stops the revolution; the war will not continue and no one else will be harmed, but some argue there is no justice for those who were already hurt or killed.
  
  

Amnesty Movement

• Amnesty can also refer to a program in which illegal materials or contraband can be turned over to authorities with no repercussions for those who possessed the materials. An example of this is a city that offers residents the chance to turn over illegal firearms in exchange for protection from a law on illegal weapons. The theory is that it is better to have the firearms off the streets than to punish those with them. This is also frequently done in schools to give students the chance to turn over weapons, drugs or any other contraband and start fresh.
  
  

Amnesty International

• Amnesty International is a worldwide, nonprofit organization that campaigns for human rights and individual freedoms. It was founded in the 1960s by British lawyer Peter Benenson after he read a story about two Portuguese students who were imprisoned for toasting to liberty. Benenson began a crusade that has since turned into one of the most recognizable missions in the world.