3 ms·
This is getting really interesting. Pardons are indeed based on the idea of forgiveness. So, to issue a pardon would be to say that the person committed a crim
by droithomme 15y ago
This is getting really interesting.
Pardons are indeed based on the idea of forgiveness. So, to issue a pardon would be to say that the person committed a crime and needed to be forgiven. Thus, it is possible a pardon may be inappropriate as it would send the wrong message.
It sounds like Italy has a different concept available, where things no longer considered crimes are no longer considered crimes, rather than sins that must be forgiven. I wonder if the same sort of principle is possible at all under English law.
- arctangent 15y agoLaws which retroactively criminalise behaviour are expressly forbidden under Article 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights [1] but merely ex post facto law (which may presumably make something legal retroactively) is merely "frowned upon" in the UK [2], because the doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty (i.e. parliament can do what it likes) takes precedence. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_7_of_the_European_Convention_on_Human_Rights http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_7_of_the_European_Conve... [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_post_facto_law#United_Kingdom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_post_facto_law#United_Kingdo...