Clemency is the power of a government official, typically the head of state or government, to grant pardon or leniency to a person who has been convicted of a crime. It can take many forms, including commuting a death sentence to life in prison, reducing the length of a prison sentence, or granting a full pardon.
Clemency is often granted in cases where there are doubts about the guilt of the convicted person, where the sentence is seen as unduly harsh, or where the person has shown remorse and rehabilitation. It can also be granted for humanitarian reasons, such as in cases where the person is terminally ill or has a young family that would be left destitute if the person were to be imprisoned.
