Number of presidential pardons in Poland 1989-2022, by presidents

Since 1989, the President who pardoned the most significant number of people is Aleksander Kwasniewski. During his ten-year term of office, he pardoned nearly 4.3 thousand convicts. However, from the perspective of presidential tenure, the absolute record holder is Lech Walesa.

Under the provisions of the Polish Constitution, the President shall apply the prerogative of mercy in particular to persons sentenced by a common court for a crime or fiscal offense, within the scope of the penalty or measures imposed by that sentence. The right of clemency shall not apply to persons sentenced by the State Tribunal. In the vast majority of cases, the President of Poland decides on a pardon after reading all the documents concerning the convicted person, including court records, opinions of the administration from penal institutions, court opinions, or the application of the Prosecutor General.