Article 1General pardons, special pardons, commutations of sentence, exemptions from the execution of sentences, and restorations of rights are governed by this Act.

Article 2A general pardon is granted by Cabinet Order providing the type of crime for which it is granted.

Article 3Except as otherwise specifically provided by Cabinet Order as referred to in the preceding Article, a general pardon has the following effect with respect to the crime for which it is granted:

Article 4A special pardon is granted to a specific person who has been pronounced guilty of a crime.

Article 5A special pardon causes a pronouncement of guilt to cease to be effective.

Article 6Commutations of sentence are granted to persons already subject to sentencing pronouncements, by Cabinet Order providing the type of crime or punishment for which they are granted; commutations of sentence are also granted to specific sentenced persons.

Article 7(1)Except as otherwise specifically provided by the Cabinet Order in question, the commutation of a sentence by Cabinet Order reduces the sentence.

(2)A commutation of sentence granted to a specific person either reduces the sentence itself or mitigates the execution.

(3)Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, if the whole of a person's sentence is subject to suspended execution and the person has not yet made it through the term of suspension, the sentence is only to be commuted through a reduction of the sentence itself; the term of suspension may be shortened in addition to this.

(4)Notwithstanding paragraph (2), if a part of a person's sentence is subject to suspended execution and the person has not yet made it through the term of suspension, the sentence is only to be commuted by either reducing the sentence itself or by reducing the execution of the part of it that has not been suspended; the term of suspension may be shortened in addition to a reduction of the sentence.

Article 8An exemption from the execution of a sentence is granted to a specific person who is already subject to a sentencing pronouncement; provided, however, that an exemption from the execution of a sentence is not granted if the whole of the person's sentence is subject to suspended execution, nor is it granted if a part of the person's sentence is subject to suspended execution and the person has finished serving the part of the sentence not subject to the suspension but has not yet made it through the term of suspension.

Article 9A restoration of rights is granted to persons who have been deprived of their legal capacity or had it suspended pursuant to laws and regulations as a result of having been pronounced guilty of a crime, by Cabinet Order providing the requirements for the restoration; restorations of rights are also granted to specific persons; provided, however, that a restoration of rights is not granted to a person who has neither finished serving the sentence nor been exempted from its execution.

Article 10(1)A restoration of rights has the effect of restoring a person's legal capacity.

(2)A restoration of rights may be granted with respect to specific types of legal capacity.

Article 11The existing impact from a pronouncement of guilt is not altered by a general pardon, special pardon, commutation of sentence, exemption from execution of a sentence, or restoration of rights.

Article 12Special pardons, commutation of specific persons' sentences, exemptions from the execution of sentences, and restorations of specific persons' rights are to be granted to persons proposed by the National Offenders Rehabilitation Commission.

Article 13When a special pardon, the commutation of a specific person's sentence, an exemption from the execution of a sentence, or the restoration of a specific person's rights is granted, the Minister of Justice must issue that person a certificate of that special pardon, commutation of sentence, exemption from the execution of the sentence, or restoration of rights.

Article 14When a general pardon, special pardon, commutation of sentence, exemption from the execution of a sentence, or restoration of rights is granted, the public prosecutor must add a supplementary note to that effect in the original copy of the judgment.

Article 15Ministry of Justice Order provides the necessary matters in connection with this Act coming into effect.