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Biden Fails a Death Penalty Abolitionist’s Most Important Test

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The mystery of Joe Biden’s views about capital punishment has finally been solved. His decision to grant clemency to 37 of the 40 people on federal death row shows the depth of his opposition to the death penalty. And his decision to leave three of America’s most notorious killers to be executed by a future administration shows the limits of his abolitionist commitment. The three men excluded from Biden’s mass clemency—Dylann Roof, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Robert Bowers—would no doubt pose a severe test of anyone’s resolve to end the death penalty. Biden failed that test.
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Catholic Church seeks international support to oppose death penalty in Papua New Guinea

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The Catholic Church of Papua New Guinea has spoken out against the resumption of the death penalty, with government plans to execute 13 death row inmates by the end of the year.

The death penalty has not been used in PNG for more than 50 years, but the National Executive Council has approved 3 modes of execution - lethal injection, firing squad and hanging, although at the moment there is no suitable infrastructure in place.

Now, both Indonesia and Thailand have stepped in with offers of financial assistance and expertise.

Archbishop John Ribat says he knows the church's voice may not necessarily be heard by the government but they have to try.

Source: Radio Australia, February 17, 2015

Report an error, an omission: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com
Location: Papua New Guinea
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