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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.

Saudi murderer beheaded

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Riyadh: A Saudi man convicted of murder was beheaded by the sword on Saturday in the capital, the interior ministry said in a statement.

Saud Bin Diri Al Anezi was found guilty of stabbing Yassef Bin Eid Al Anezi to death in an argument, the statement said.

His execution takes to 30 the number of people put to death in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the year, according to an AFP count.

In 2012, the kingdom executed 76 people, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. The US-based Human Rights Watch put the number at 69.

Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.

Source: Agence France-Presse, April 6, 2013
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