The law does not envision immediate judicial review of decisions denying amnesty to illegal aliens.

Lawyers say it is not clear whether the court would also examine the merits of the decision denying amnesty.

Due to this and other atrocities, Quantrill's Raiders were denied amnesty after the cessation of hostilities in 1865.

But the two former officers - Mphithizel Ngo and Mohonaetsi Motsamai - were denied amnesty for murder, robbery and other criminal acts.

In 2000, both Mkosana and Gonya were denied amnesty on the grounds that their actions were reckless and disproportionate and not associated with a political motive.

Proponents say many of these immigrants were wrongfully denied amnesty under an earlier law when the Immigration and Naturalization Service bungled their claims.

Nieuwoudt was denied amnesty by the TRC in 1977 for his role in the murder of Steve Biko.

Pretoria, he added, has agreed to provide the United Nations agency with written details on any returnee denied amnesty, suggesting that every case will be open to discussion.

Yet the Iraqi government talks about denying amnesty to insurgents who have killed other Iraqis, and Washington has insisted on excluding those who have killed Americans.

At the Restoration he was denied amnesty under the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion and was tried as a regicide.