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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: Execution of Juvenile Offender Mohammad (Maher) Ayashi Postponed; Still at Risk of Execution

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Iran Human Rights, September 24: Execution of the juvenile offender Mohammad (Maher) Ayashi, that was scheduled to take place this morning has been postponed.

According to reports from Iran Mr. Ayashi’s execution has only been postponed and can happen in the coming days.

Last week another juvenile offender was executed in Kazeroun, convicted of a murder that he allegedly committed at the age of 14.

Iran Human Rights (IHR) emphasizes that Mohammad Ayashi is still in danger of execution and the international community must keep up its efforts to save his life.

Source: Iran Human Rights, September 24, 2013


Iran: Prisoner executed for murder committed at age 14; another juvenile offender scheduled for execution tomorrow

Iran Human Rights, September 23: According to local media in Iran, a juvenile offender was executed in Kazeroun (southern Iran) last week.

According to the local newspaper, "Kazeroun-e-ma", an 18-year-old, who was convicted of committing a murder when he was 14, was executed in Kazeroun last week. The boy was not identified by name in the report.

According to reports from Iran, another juvenile offender, Mohammad (Maher) Ayashi, is scheduled for execution in Ahwaz’s Karoun Prison (southwestern Iran) tomorrow morning. The boy, who is currently in his twenties, is convicted of murder during a street fight when he was 17 years old.

Iran has ratified the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, which bans the death penalty for offences committed under 18 years of age. However, Iran is still one of few countries executing minors.

Iran Human Rights condemns the execution of juveniles in Iran and urges the United Nations and all countries who have diplomatic ties with Iran to intervene, in order to save Mohammad Ayashi’s life. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR said: "The UN and the international community must do what they can to save Mohammad and other juveniles who are on death row in Iran. Human rights, the death penalty— in particular death penalty issued to juveniles— must be on top of the list of issues world leaders discuss with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the UN this week."

Source: Iran Human Rights, September 23, 2013
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