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Activists Call on President Biden to End the Federal Death Penalty Before Leaving Office

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A conversation with Death Penalty Action Co-founder and Executive Director Abe Bonowitz. Now that Joe Biden is a lame duck president, activists are holding him accountable to make good on his promise to end the federal death penalty during his remaining six months as president. Biden’s election campaign in 2020 had pledged to end the federal death penalty and incentivize the remaining 27 states that still allow executions to do the same. While he made history as the first president in the United States to openly oppose the death penalty, there has been no movement to actually end federal executions during his nearly four years in office.

Iran: Judge praises public punishments for some convicts

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Public flogging is still a common
practice in present day Iran 
The head of the Tehran Criminal Court says sentences issued for armed robbers, rapists and those who cause public disorder must be carried out in public for the good of society. Judge Amirabadi Farahani told the Mehr News Agency on Tuesday, September 11: "The judiciary is determined to carry out in public the sentences of armed robbers, rapists and disturbers of peace and order in society."

His statements come on the day that Sadegh Moradi, a convicted rapist, was hanged in public in Tehran.

"When such sentences are carried out in public," Amirabadi Farahani said, "those who think they can get away without public shame will see themselves in that position and do away with stupid thoughts."

Public hanging in Iran
He said the public execution of sentences leads to "peace of mind for citizens" and added: "The public, thus, is reassured that the judiciary will not allow criminals to escape without punishment."

Amirabadi Farahani stressed that once the court decides that the sentence can be carried out in public, then it will be carried out at an appropriate public location.

Sadegh Moradi, the man who was executed in Tehran today, was arrested 4 years ago while trying to kidnap a woman in the southern part of the city. He was convicted in the kidnapping and rape of 30 women.

Source: Radio Zamaneh, Sept. 12, 2012
Location: Iran
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