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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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Six executed in two Iranian cities

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Iran Human Rights, October 23: Six prisoners were executed in two different Iranian cities. Three of the prisoners were convicted of Moharebeh (war against the God) and executed in the southeastern city of Zahedan while the three other prisoners were convicted of drug trafficking and executed in Qazvin (west of Tehran).

Three prisoners were executed in Zahedan (southeastern Iran) on Sunday October 21:

According to the official website of the Iranian judiciary in Baluchestan Province three prisoners identified as "Yahya Chari", Abdoljalil Kahrazehi and Abdolbaset Rigi were hanged in the prison of Zahedan early Sunday morning. The prisoners were convicted of "corruption on earth" and "Moharebeh" through connection with "terrorist" groups in Baluchestan.

The charges have not been confirmed by independent sources.

Three prisoners were executed in Qazvin (west of Tehran) today October 23:

According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qazvin early this morning. The prisoners are identified as "R. Ch." (27 years old), "H. Rh." (47 years old) and "H. S." (25 years old) and were all convicted of possession and trafficking of narcotic drugs.

None of the charges have been confirmed by independent sources.

Source: Iran Human Rights, October 23, 2012
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