Formal term for an official act of clemency, typically granted by a government or sovereign. Often used in legal or political contexts.
The king granted amnesty to political prisoners.
The government granted amnesty to many prisoners.
He received a special pardon and was released.
An amnesty was carried out upon the new emperor's enthronement.
Prisoners who had committed minor crimes became eligible for amnesty.
大赦 is a general amnesty applied to a whole category of offenses or offenders, while 恩赦 is the umbrella term covering both such general and individual pardons.
恩赦 (a legal pardon) and 恩恵 (a benefit or blessing) share the kanji 恩 but refer to unrelated concepts.
Compound of 恩 (grace, favor) and 赦 (pardon, forgive). The term has been used in Japanese legal and historical contexts to refer to acts of clemency.