Remission of sentences for military crimes against humanity

Politically motivated amnesty for military personnel convicted of atrocities
Absolving military personnel of homicide

Incidence

Examples include remission of sentences for the military personnel responsible for the: torture of Algerians during their struggle for independence (France), 1968 My Lai massacre in Viet Nam (USA), forced disappearances of civilians (Argentina), killing of civilians in Ireland (UK). Following democratic restoration, a general amnesty was given in Uruguay, Brazil and Chile. In 1990 consideration was given by the new governments: to amnesty outgoing Sandinistas (Nicaragua), to a sweeping amnesty for the armed forces (El Salvador), not to prosecute crimes under the previous regime (Chile), to amnesty black activists convicted of violent crimes (South Africa), not to prosecute crimes committed by the secret police (East European countries).

Counter-claim

Under an oppressive regime, everybody is in some sense an accomplice of the dictatorship. Amnesty is the least bad choice under difficult and disagreeable circumstances.