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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: Four hanged in Arak (Central Iran); at least 31 executions in the past 2 weeks

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Iran Human Rights, May 2: Four prisoners were hanged in the prison of Arak (central Iran) today May 2, reported the Iranian state media.

The prisoners were identified as "M. Y." born in 1988 (1367 Iranian Calander) convicted of buying and possession of 4 kilograms of crack, "M. H." for possession of 780 grams of concentrated heroin, "A. A." for possession and attempt to sell 243 grams of crystal, 3 kilograms of Hashish and 2900 grams of opium, and "M. J." for possession and buying of about 800 grams of crystal, said the report.

According to the official Iranian sources 31 people have been executed in the past two weeks in Iran.

Source: Iran Human Rights, May 2, 2013
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