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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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At Least 6 People Were Executed In Iran Today

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Iran Human Rights, September 20: According to official and unofficial reports from Iran at least six prisoners were executed in three different prisons today.

One prisoner hanged in Western Iran.

According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, one prisoner was hanged in the prison of Doroud, Lorestan Province (West of Iran). The prisoner who was not identified by name, was convicted keeping 9 kilos and 618 grams of heroin, said the report.

Three prisoners were hanged in Northern Iran

According to the official website of the Iranian judiciary in Semnan province (Northern Iran), three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Shahrud early this morning, Thursday September 20.

The prisoners were identified as "M.M.", "A. M." and "M. R." and convicted of "keeping and carrying large amounts of the narcotic substance crack", said the report.

At least two prisoners were hanged in Urmia (Northwestern Iran)

According to the unofficial Kurdish news agency Kurdpa, sex prisoners were hanged in the prison of Urmia early this morning September 20. Execution of two of the prisoners has been confirmed by another independent source. These prisoners are identified as "Hashem Jahangiri" and "Iraj Deylami", both charges with drug-related offences.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Sept. 20, 2012
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