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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 more hanged in public

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Public hanging in Iran (file photo)
2 men have been hanged in public in the Iranian city of Jiroft ahead of the regime's New Year celebrations.

The executions were carried out using a crane and mechanical fork loader in one of the city's main squares, with armed men guarding from rooftops around the area.

The death sentences took place on the day after Fire Festival - known as Charshanbeh Souri - used by many Iranians to defy the clerical regime.

Fearing of public protests, prior to the Fire Festival, a senior cleric described it as 'religiously forbidden' and warned people about 'crossing God's red lines'.

In Tehran, people lit bonfires in public places, set off fireworks and launched wish lanterns as part of an annual ritual.

Elsewhere, people threw portraits of the regime's Supreme Leader into fire and chanted 'death to the dictator'.

The Iranian opposition and international rights groups have repeatedly stated that the regime is using public hangings as a way of suppressing public protests by inspiring fear in society.

Source: NCR-Iran, March 19, 2015

Report an error, an omission: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com
Location: Iran
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