On 13 July 1999 Algeria joined the growing list of countries that have adopted some form of ‘amnesty law’ as a means of restoring peace and encouraging reconciliation. After a brief description of the historical context, this article examines the features of the Algerian Civil Concord Law. This law is then used as a backdrop in considering eight ways in which modern amnesty laws may be drafted and adopted to ensure compliance with developing principles of international law.