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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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Iran: 2 executed over drug charges; 47 executions in one week

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Iran Human Rights, November 13: The Iranian state media has reported the hanging of two prisoners.

The official website of the Iranian judiciary in the province of Fars (southern Iran) has reported the public hanging of one prisoner, identified as F. B., in the town of Neyriz (south of Shiraz) on November 12. The prisoner was reportedly convicted of trafficking 4 kilograms of opium and 4,700 grams of heroin.

A total of 11 prisoners were executed in the province of Fars in the past seven days.

The official Iranian news agency, IRNA reports the hanging of a prisoner in Zanjan prison (western Iran) today. The prisoner was not identified by name.

Official Iranian sources have reported a total of 27 executions in the past seven days.

47 Unofficial Executions:

Unofficial sources have reported a total of 47 executions in Iran in the past seven days. Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran (HRDAI) reported the secret execution of 35 prisoners in Vakilabad prison in Mashhad (northwestern Iran) on November 7. HRANA has reported the execution of 12 prisoners in Rajai Shahr prison (west of Tehran) today. The prisoners were allegedly convicted of drug-related charges.

Iran Human Rights is currently investigating the unofficial reports of executions in Vakilabad and Rajai Shahr prisons.

Source: Iran Human Rights, November 13, 2012
Location: Iran
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