{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-northern-ireland-order-2008/article-20",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-northern-ireland-order-2008/article-20.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/2008/1216",
  "legislation_title": "The Criminal Justice (Northern Ireland) Order 2008",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-northern-ireland-order-2008",
  "path": "article/20",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "20",
  "heading": "Power to release certain prisoners on compassionate grounds",
  "text": "(1) The Department of Justice may, if satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist which justify the release of a prisoner to whom this Article applies on compassionate grounds, at any time release the prisoner on licence under this Article.\n(2) This Articles applies to—\n(a) a fixed-term prisoner; and\n(b) a prisoner serving an indeterminate custodial sentence.\n(3) The Department of Justice shall, before releasing a prisoner to whom Article 18 or 20A applies consult the Parole Commissioners unless the circumstances are such as to render such consultation impracticable.\n(4) In this Article “fixed-term prisoner” includes a person serving a determinate custodial sentence for an offence committed before the commencement of this Article.\n(5) The Secretary of State may notify the Department of Justice that a prisoner is not to be released under this Article without the Secretary of State's agreement; and, if the Secretary of State gives such a notification in relation to a prisoner, the Department of Justice may not release the prisoner under this Article without the Secretary of State's agreement.\n(6) But the Secretary of State may—\n(a) give a notification, or\n(b) refuse his agreement to a release,\nonly if his decision to do so is arrived at (wholly or partly) on the basis of protected information.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in art. 20(1) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 16(2) (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2) (but this amendment cannot take effect until the commencement of S.I. 2008/1216, art. 20)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in art. 20(3) substituted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 16(2) (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2) (but this amendment cannot take effect until the commencement of S.I. 2008/1216, art. 20)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in art. 20(3) substituted (30.4.2021) by Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021 (c. 11), s. 50(1)(i), Sch. 13 para. 74(6)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Art. 20(5)(6) inserted (12.4.2010) by Northern Ireland Act 1998 (Devolution of Policing and Justice Functions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/976), arts. 1(2), 6(2), Sch. 5 para. 16(3) (with arts. 28-31); S.I. 2010/977, art. 1(2) (but this amendment cannot take effect until the commencement of S.I. 2008/1216, art. 20)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Art. 20 in operation at 1.6.2015 by S.R. 2015/255, art. 2(b)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/2008/1216/article/20",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:39:03.144833+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}