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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: Man hanged in public in Sarab; man pardoned in 1996 due for execution again

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A man, identified only with his first name Daryoush, was hanged in prison in the western city of Sarab (East Azarbaijan province) on Wednesday, 27 August 2014.

The death sentence was implemented after head of the Judiciary, representing the Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, authorised it. 

The prisoner was accused of being the main culprit in killing a young man in a fight. His brother, Akbar, was convicted as his accomplice, but his sentence was not reported.

Source: Agencies, August 29, 2014


Iran: Man pardoned in 1996 due for execution again

A man identified only with his first name Niaz-Ali is facing the death penalty. He has been detained three weeks ago and sentenced to death for the second time. 

After being convicted for killing his business partner in 1992, he was sentenced to death and hanged in March 1996. The medics confirmed his death after 20 minutes of hanging, but he was found to be alive on the way to the Coroner's Office. 

The victim's parents withdrew their complaint after receiving financial compensation known as 'blood money,' and he was released from prison. 

The victim's son, who was two years old at the time, recently filed a new complaint and demanded a large amount of money (approximately US$120,000) as blood money. 

The execution is imminent upon the head of the Judiciary's authorisation. 

Source: Agencies, August 29, 2014
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