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Biden Has 65 Days Left in Office. Here’s What He Can Do on Criminal Justice.

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Judicial appointments and the death penalty are among areas where a lame-duck administration can still leave a mark. Donald Trump’s second presidential term will begin on Jan. 20, bringing with it promises to dramatically reshape many aspects of the criminal justice system. The U.S. Senate — with its authority over confirming judicial nominees — will also shift from Democratic to Republican control.
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Iran: Jafar Kazemi at imminent risk of execution over alleged participation in anti-government demonstrations and alleged contact with banned opposition group

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Jafar Kazemi
The execution verdict for Jafar Kazemi was upheld by branch 36 of the Appeals Court by judge Hojatoleslam Zargari. His file has now been processed to carry out the death sentence. There is no legal recourse to save Jafar Kazemi’s life.

Kazemi’s lawyer Ms. Ghanavi told a human rights website that her client has spent long periods of time in solitary confinement. Kazemi was originally sentenced by branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court.

Roudabeh Akbari, Kazemi’s wife, wrote a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urging him to take steps to stop her husband’s execution.

Kazemi was working as a lithograph for textbooks and pamphlets for Amirkabir University when he was arrested on September 18, 2009 at Haft-e Tir Square. He was taken to solitary confinement in ward 209 of Evin prison and spent 74 days there before he was transferred to ward 350. Kazemi was also imprisoned from 1981 until the end of 1989.

Ghanavi has stated that her client was issued the charge of Moharebeh (waging war against God) for his alleged affiliation with the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization. Kazemi has not accepted the charge during his interrogations.

According to Ghanavi, Shi’ite scholars state that the charge of Moharebeh is levied against those who rise up in an armed revolt against the government. Ghanavi explains that this is not the case with her client. It is believed that he did take part in post-election gatherings and chanted slogans but his lawyer says the charge of Moharebeh is baseless. Ghanavi explained that the appeal for Kazemi was never really considered by the court and the Moharebeh charge was never looked into. Read more.



Source: Persian2English, July 30, 2010
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