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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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UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY CALLS FOR A UNIVERSAL MORATORIUM ON DEATH PENALTY

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On 18 December, the General Assembly of the United Nations voted with an overwhelming majority a resolution calling for a moratorium on the use of the death penalty worldwide.

“This is a historic moment for all those fighting for abolition of the death penalty throughout the world” said Liévin N’gondji, President of the DRC Coalition Against the Death Penalty and a member of the WCADP. “With this resolution, we will be in a position to challenge our government and to request a further commitment towards the effective abolition of the death penalty”.

The UNGA resolution, which was supported by 104 member states, is a clear indication that the worldwide trend towards abolition of the death penalty is now becoming irreversible. At this time, 133 countries have abandoned the death penalty in law or in practice.

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty calls on all member states of the United Nations to follow the recommendations of the resolution and apply a formal moratorium on executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty.

Governments continuing to execute death row convicts will now be acting against the will of the majority of the world's countries.

Source: World Coalition Against the Death Penalty
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