Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has granted clemency to over 4,000 prisoners, including some who were on death row, in an independence day amnesty on Thursday. This move comes as Zimbabwe commemorates 44 years of independence from white minority rule, a significant milestone achieved in 1980 after a bloody bush war that led to the country's name changing from Rhodesia to Zimbabwe.
The presidential amnesty, the second within a year, specifically benefits female, older, and juvenile inmates, as well as the terminally ill and individuals who were initially sentenced to death. Those who were previously on death row but had their sentences commuted to life terms in prior clemency orders or through court appeals will be released if they have served at least 20 years in prison.
