PEACEST 1A03 Final: Are Amnesties a Good Idea to Prevent Future Conflict After an Internal Conflict?

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Peace Studies
• Course: PEACEST 1A03
• Professor: Jorge H. Sanchez-Perez

Document Summary

The answer to this question is very subjective. The answer really depends on the circumstances which require amnesty and the individuals involved. Firstly, i will define what amnesty is and i will give examples of crimes that it is often used for. Secondly, i will explain why there is a difficulty answering this question. Thirdly, i will explain why amnesty is important, but why it should also be used with caution. Amnesty is an official pardon for people who have been convicted of a political offence. Examples of political crimes include treason, terrorism, espionage, sedition, ext. For an act to be considered political, the offenders do not have to aim to overthrow the government or to dispose of its leaders. The act need only be perceived by the state as threatening. Where the difficulty lies with this issue is that what one state might consider threatening, another state may not.