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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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Two executed in Iran over drug charges

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Execution in Iran
Iran Human Rights (JULY 29 2016): Two prisoners were reportedly executed this week, one in central Iran and the other in the northeastern region of the country.

According to a report by unofficial source HRANA, on the morning of Wednesday July 27, a prisoner was hanged at Mashhad Central Prison (northeastern Iran) on unknown charges. 

The report identifies the prisoner as Reza Sabzevari, 32 years old, former police officer who worked in the department to fight against drugs.

Unofficial source Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran reports on another execution on Wednesday July 27: a prisoner was hanged at Yazd Central Prison (central Iran) on drug related charges. 

The report identifies the prisoner as Nasrollah Reigi, imprisoned for five years before he was executed.

Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and state run media, have been silent about these two executions.

Iranian authorities have reportedly executed at least eight prisoners on Wednesday July 27th. On that day Iran Human Rights had reported on the execution of six prisoners at Darya, Urmia's central prison (northwestern Iran) on drug related charges. 

At least 50 people have been executed in Iran so far in July 2016. 

According to a recent report published by Iran Human Rights, at least 250 people have been executed in Iran so far in 2016.

Source: Iran Human Rights, July 29, 2016

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed, but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." - Oscar Wilde

Location: Iran
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