Summary By Country
Jurisdiction (link to details) | Life imprisonment | Minimum to serve before eligibility for requesting parole | Maximum length of sentence (under life) | Indefinite sentence (excl. preventive or psychiatric detainment) | Mandatory sentence | Possible other sentence | Under age of 18 (or 21) | Pardon, amnesty, other release |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afghanistan | Yes | Never | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism, violation of Islamic law | Treason, drug trafficking | Yes | By President |
Albania | Yes | 25 years | None | ?? | Murder with aggravating factor | Terrorism, war crimes | under 18: max. 20 years imprisonment | Only in extraordinary circumstances may the convicted serving life imprisonment be released on parole |
Argentina | Yes | 20 years, or never | None | Yes | Murder with aggravating circumstances; murder of a relative; murder of and/or by a police officer; treason | Serial rape | ?? | By president or governor of a state (depending on jurisdiction) |
Armenia | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism, collaborating with Azerbaijan forces, treason | Mutiny, desertion, military crimes | ?? | By President |
Austria | Yes | 15 years (Imprisonment for a definite period) or never (Imprisonment for lifetime, when clemency is rejected by President) |
None | Yes | Genocide | Murder, leadership of a drug dealer gang, Nazi activism, production or distribution of chemical warfare agents to be used in armed conflict; abduction, robbery, rape and statutory rape if the crime causes the victim's death; sea and air piracy and arson if the crime causes the death of a large number of people | under 16: max. 10 years imprisonment 16-17: max. 15 years imprisonment 18-20: max. 20 years imprisonment |
Pardon by president |
Australia | Yes | 10 years, 20 years, 25 years, or never; individually set by judge | None | Yes | Murder of police officer or other public official, murder in South Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, aircraft hijacking. | Treason, terrorism, drug trafficking, rape, serious child sex offences | under 18: must have minimum term set | Compassionate release by Governor of state/Administrator of territory, or Governor-General |
Azerbaijan | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism | Drug trafficking | Yes | By President |
Belarus | Yes | 25 years | None | ?? | ?? | ?? | Maximum 15 years | By President |
Belgium | Yes | 10 years, or 16 years for recidivism | None | No | None | Murder | under 12: never prosecution 12–15: max. detained till the age of 20 16–17: max. 30 years imprisonment |
Parole by Conditional Release Commission or pardon by King |
Belize | Yes | Never | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? |
Bolivia | No (Except in Wartime) | Varies, depending on sentence | 30 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 45 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Brazil | No ( except in wartime) | Varies, depending on sentence | 30 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Bulgaria | Yes | Never | None | Yes | None | Aggravated murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, treason, espionage, war crimes, genocide, desertion in wartime | Maximum 12 years | By President |
Canada | Yes | between 7 to 25 years | None | Yes | High treason, murder, crimes against humanity, | Various crimes including Robbery, Extortion, and most offenses resulting in death. | Yes, with lower parole eligibility date. | Compassionate release and pardon by minister of justice |
Cape Verde | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 25 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Colombia | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 60 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Costa Rica | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 50 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Chile | Yes | 40 years or Never | None | Yes | None | Treason, Kidnapping with homicide or rape, Rape with homicide, Parricide, Robbery with homicide or rape. | 14–15: max. 5 years imprisonment 16–17: max. 10 years imprisonment |
By President |
People's Republic of China | Yes | 10 years for non-violent crimes. Never for murder, rape, kidnap, setting fire, explosion, putting hazardous materials or other organized violent crimes. | None | No | No | Various | Yes | By courts |
Croatia | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 40 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence |
Cuba | Yes | Never; only pardon by president | None | No | Murder, Drug trafficking | ?? | Yes | By President |
Cyprus | Yes | 20 years | None | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? |
Czech Republic | Yes | 20 years | None | No | None | Some cases of murder, treason, terrorism, genocide, robbery, kidnapping, rape | No life imprisonment sentence | By President |
Denmark | Yes | 12 years, or never | None | Yes | ?? | ?? | Maximum 15 years | After 12 years entitled to request to Minister of Justice; granted by King or Queen of Denmark |
Dominican Republic | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 30 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | 13–15: max. 10 years imprisonment 16–17: max. 15 years imprisonment |
No life imprisonment sentence |
Ecuador | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 35 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
El Salvador | No (Except in wartime) | Varies, depending on sentence | 75 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Egypt | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, Rape, Kidnapping, Terrorism | Drug offenses | Yes | Pardon by president |
Estonia | Yes | Never | None | Yes (de facto) | ?? | ?? | Maximum length 10 years | Pardon by president |
Finland | Yes | 12 years for court release, any time for presidential pardon | None | Yes | Murder, purposefully killing police officer | Genocide, high treason, espionage, war crimes, homicidal terrorist act | under 18: max. 15 years imprisonment under 21: minimum 10 years for parole request |
By president, Helsinki Court of Appeal |
France | Yes | 18–22 years, 30 years, or never | None | Yes, but only if decided by court at sentencing | None | Aggravated murder, aggravated torture, treason, terrorism, drug trafficking, crimes against humanity, war crimes, rape | under 16: max. 20 years imprisonment | By president, with countersignature from Prime minister and ministry of justice |
Germany | Yes | 15 years | None | Yes, but only if decided by court at sentencing | Murder, genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes | See details | 10 years | By Federal President or Minister-President |
Greece | Yes | 16 years, or 20 years in cases of multiple life sentences | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism | ?? | ?? | By President |
Hungary | Yes | 20-40 years or never | None | Yes | Murder, after 3 violent crimes | Genocide, high treason | under 18: max. 15 years imprisonment | By president |
Honduras | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 40 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Hong Kong | Yes | Individually set by judge | None | Yes | Murder | ?? | Must have minimum term set | By Chief Executive of Hong Kong, under the recommendation of Long Term Prison Sentences Review Board |
Iceland | Yes | 16 years | None | No | None | Murder, Hostage taking, terrorism, treason | Maximum 8 years in prison | By President |
India | Yes | 14 years or never; individually set by judge | None | Yes | Murder, rape, robbery | Kidnapping | Yes | May be pardoned by President or have sentence commuted by Government |
Indonesia | Yes | Never | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism, kidnapping, rape, treason | ?? | ?? | By President |
Iraq | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism | Drug trafficking | Yes | By President |
Ireland | Yes | 12–30 years or never; individually set by judge | None | Yes | Murder, treason, some serious injuries, etc. see details | See details | ?? | By President |
Israel | Yes | Never | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism | Kidnapping child with intent to murder | Yes | By president usually after 30 years |
Italy | Yes | 21 years, 26 years, or never | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism, mafia association, drug trafficking, human trafficking, treason | Aggravated sexual assault, aggravated robbery, firearm trafficking | under 16: max. 20 years imprisonment | By president |
Jamaica | Yes | 10–30 years or never; individually set by judge | None | Yes | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? |
Japan | Yes | 10 years or never | None | Yes | Varies by prefecture (Murder) | Death sentence due to foreign aggression | Yes | By Emperor |
Jordan | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism, espionage | Drug trafficking | Yes | By King |
Kazakhstan | Yes | 25 years or never | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism | ?? | Maximum 20 years | By President |
Kiribati | Yes | 25 years, or never | None | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? |
Kyrgyzstan | Yes | Never | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism | ?? | ?? | By President |
Kosovo | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 40 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Laos | Yes | Never | None | Yes | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? |
Latvia | Yes | 25 years | None | Yes | Murder, treason, terrorism, war crimes | Drug offenses, rape, robbery, sabotage, crimes against humanity | ?? | By President |
Lebanon | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism, treason | Drug trafficking and manufacturing | Yes | By President |
Lithuania | Yes | 25 years | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism | ?? | ?? | By President |
Luxemborg | Yes | 15 years | None | Yes | Murder, treason | Terrorism | ?? | By President |
Macau | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 25 years (30 in exceptional circumstances) | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Macedonia | Yes | 15 years | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism | Rape, robbery, drug offenses crimes against humanity | Yes | By President |
Malaysia | Yes | 20 years or never | None | Yes | Murder, drug offenses, serious firearms/ammunition/explosive offenses, terrorism, rape, sodomy, attack on monarch, violence to parliament, treason | ?? | ?? | By King / Monarch / Federal Pardon Committee |
Mexico | No (exception of Chihuahua) | Varies, depending on sentence | 60 years (70 years if murder involves kidnapping) | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Morocco | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism, treason | Drug trafficking and manufacturing | Yes | By King / Queen |
The Netherlands | Yes | Never | None | Yes (de facto) | None | Attack on monarch, violence to parliament, several facts constituting an offence resulting in death of (a) person(s) (not manslaughter), manslaughter in combination with other facts, facts with intent to terrorism, treason | under 12: never prosecution 12–15: max. 12 months imprisonment 16–17: max. 24 months imprisonment |
By monarch (almost never granted) |
Nepal | Yes | 20 years | None | No | Murder, terrorism | ?? | ?? | By president |
New Zealand | Yes | 10 years, 17 years, 20 years, or never; individually set by judge | None | Yes | Treason | Murder, manslaughter, certain drug related | under 18: must have minimum term set | Sentence may be reduced or pardon granted by the Governor General (Rarely done) |
Nicaragua | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 30 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Nigeria | Yes | Never | None | Yes | ?? | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? |
North Korea | Yes | Never | None | Yes (de facto and de jure) | Murder, espionage, treason | ?? | Yes | By president |
Northern Cyprus | Yes | Never; Only pardon by President | None | Yes | Murder, Drug trafficking, terrorism, treason | Espionage, war crimes, mutiny, desertion | Maximum sentence for murder is 24 years; only terrorism related cases | Pardon by president; requires counter signature from Prime Minister and Minister of Justice |
Norway | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 21 years (can be extended indefinitely if the criminal poses a danger to society at the end of served time), 30 years for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity | Yes | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence, people over age of 15 can be sentenced by normal laws or to child protection | No life imprisonment sentence |
Pakistan | Yes | 25 years | None | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | By President |
Panama | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 50 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Paraguay | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 25 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Peru | Yes | 35 years or never | None | Yes | Murder with aggravated circumstances, terrorism, treason | Serious kidnapping, violent rape attempted murder | ?? | By President |
Poland | Yes | 25 years or more—individually set by judge | None | No | None | Genocide, war crimes, high treason, murder, assassination attempt of Polish president | under 18: max. 25 years imprisonment | Pardon by president, Amnesty by act of parliament (last amnesty in 1989) |
Portugal | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 25 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Romania | Yes | 20 years | None | ?? | ?? | ?? | ?? | By President |
Republic of the Congo | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 30 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Russia | Yes, but only for man between 18 and 65 years. | 25 years | None | No | No | See details | under 18: max. 10 years imprisonment | By President |
Saudi Arabia | Yes | Never | None | No | apostasy | Homosexuality, Witchcraft, adultery, fornication | Yes | By King |
Serbia | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 40 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Singapore | Yes | 20 years? | None | Yes | Kidnapping for ransom | Drug trafficking, gun crime | Felon detained at the President's discretion. | ?? |
Slovakia | Yes | 25 years | None | Yes | Murder, terrorism, treason | Crimes against humanity, war crimes | ?? | By President |
Slovenia | Yes | 25 years | None | Yes | Murder, treason | Terrorism, drug offenses, crimes against humanity | ?? | By President |
Somalia | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, rape, robbery | Sodomy, adultery, crimes against humanity | Yes | By President |
South Africa | Yes | 10, 15, or 25 years | None | No | Certain murder, rape and robbery | ?? | ?? | ?? |
South Korea | Yes | 10 years or never | None | No | High treason, robbery (rape) with deadly outcomes, arson, murder of relative, etc. | Counterfeiting or falsification of currency | Maximum 10 years (for certain violent crimes 20 years) | By President and requires agreement of National Assembly |
Spain | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 40 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Syria | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, political crimes, terrorism, treason | Drug offenses | Yes | By President |
Sweden | Yes | 18 years, but parole hearing may be held after 10 years served, thus fixing a much later date for release on parole | None | Yes | None | Murder, kidnapping, arson, sabotage, devastation, hi-jacking, espionage, endangering public health by spread of contagion or poison, disloyalty when negotiating with foreign powers, dealing with anti-personnel mines or chemical or nuclear weapons, treason and (in wartime only) mutiny, insubordination, undermining the will to fight, desertation, unauthorised capitulation, negligence of war preparations and negligence of battle duty | under 21: no life imprisonment | By the District Court of Örebro. |
Switzerland | Yes | 10 years or 15 years; individually set by judge | None | Yes | None | Aggravated murder, aggravated hostage-taking, genocide, endangering the independence of the country | under 15: no imprisonment 15-17: max. 4 years imprisonment |
By Federal Assembly (Parliament) |
Republic of China (Taiwan) | Yes | 25 years 10–20 years before 30 June 2006 |
None | Third violent crime | Aggravated murder, hard drug trafficking | Many violent crimes causing death, etc. | Banned by Criminal Code | By President |
Tajikistan | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism | Treason | Yes | By President |
Tunisia | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism | Drug trafficking | Yes | By President |
Turkey | Yes | Never | None | Yes | Murder,treason, terrorism, military offenses | Drug trafficking, espionage | Life imprisonment for juveniles is commuted to sentences of up to 24 years | By President in case of permanent illness, rehabilitation, disability or decrepitude |
Turkmenistan | Yes | Never | None | No | Murder, terrorism | Treason | Yes | By President |
UK: England and Wales | Yes | 5, 7, 8, 10, 15, 18, 20 and 25 - 40 years or never; individually set by judge (however, indefinite sentences are very rarely handed down) | None | Yes | Murder | All common law offences, rape, inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, treason, aggravated burglary, criminal damage with intent to endanger life, hijacking, destroying or endangering safety of an aircraft, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of a firearm with criminal intent, use of a firearm to resist arrest | under 21: no whole life tariff | Compassionate release and pardon by Secretary of State for Justice; amnesty by Royal decree alone or with Act of Parliament (last amnesty in 1747). |
UK: Scotland | Yes | 15–35 years; individually set by judge | None | Yes | Murder | ?? | No whole life tariff | Compassionate release by Cabinet Secretary for Justice (Scottish Government); amnesty by royal decree alone or with act of parliament |
UK: Northern Ireland | Yes | 15–35 years; individually set by judge | None | No | Murder Rape | Robbery | ?? | General release through a referendum based agreement in 1998 (became applicable in 3 cases i, ii, iii) |
Ukraine | Yes | 25 years | None | No | Murder with aggravating circumstances | ?? | Maximum 15 years | By President |
United States | Yes | 15 years minimum to Infinite, or never (depending on crime and state) | None | Yes | Varies by state | Varies by state | Yes (see above) | By president or governor of a state (depending on jurisdiction) |
Uruguay | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 30 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Uzbekistan | Yes, but only for man between 18 and 60 years. | 25 years or never | None | No | None | Aggravated murder, terrorism | Maximum 10 years | By President |
Vatican City | Yes | 21 years, 26 years, or never | None | No | Murder, Assassination of the pope, attempted assassination of the pope, terrorism | Treason | No | By President of Italy, in the case of Italian judicial proceedings; by the Pope, in the case of judicial proceedings conducted directly by the Vatican City State. |
Venezuela | No | Varies, depending on sentence | 30 years | No | No life imprisonment sentence | No life imprisonment sentence | ?? | No life imprisonment sentence |
Vietnam | Yes | Never | None | Yes (de jure) | ?? | ?? | under 16: max. 14 years imprisonment 16-17: max. 18 years imprisonment |
Usually amnesty after 20–30 years |
Read more about this topic: Life Imprisonment, Overview By Jurisdiction
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