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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 | 9 prisoners executed in a single day

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9 prisoners of drug charges executed in the central prisons of Kerman, Chabahar and GhezelHesar

According to the Iranian Human Rights Society website, on Sunday, April 21st, 2024, 9 prisoners including, Baloch and Kurdish drug suspects were executed in the central prisons of Kerman, Chah bahar, and GhezelHesar.  

The new wave of executions started about two weeks ago, and within a few days, at least 29 prisoners were executed in Iranian prisons, most of them are drug suspects.

Execution in the central prison of Kerman at dawn on Sunday, April 21st, 2024, five prisoners of drug charges named Ahmadreza Miri, Shamsuddin Keshani, Shaukat Shah Bakhsh (Darkzahi), Mardani (first name is unknown) and one prisoner with an unknown identity in the central prison of Kerman were executed.

According to HaalVash website, Ahmadreza Miri, 34 years old, a resident of Zabul, was the father of two children.  Shamsuddin Keshani, 53 years old, married and the father of two children.  Seven years ago, he was arrested and sentenced to death in connection with drugs in Kerman.  

Another prisoner, Shaukat Shah Bakhsh (Darkzahi), a native and resident of a village in Zahedan city, was arrested in 2021 in connection with drugs and sentenced to death.

There was also a 48-year-old Kurdish prisoner named Mardani.  On Friday, April 19, 2024, these prisoners were transferred to the quarantine cell of Kerman Central Prison to execute the death sentence.

Execution in Chabahar Prison


On the same day, two prisoners named Saeed Jadgal and Mohammad (Mamjan) Amjadrouz, both drug suspects, were executed in Chabahar Prison.  

Saeed Jadgal, 30 years old, married, from Plan located in Dashtiari city, married and had two children.  

The other prisoner Mohammad (Mamjan) Amjadrouz, 33 years old, married, with a child, a resident of Plan located in Dashtiari city.  These two prisoners arrested six years ago in connection with drugs in Chabahar city and sentenced to death.  They were also transferred on Friday, April 19, to execute the death sentence.

Execution in GhezelHesar prison


On the morning of Sunday, April 21st, 2024, two prisoners named Alireza Shahbaz and Ali Jafar Taheri were executed in GhezelHesar prison on drug-related charges.  

Alireza Shahbaz, 38, from Tehran, and Ali Jafar Taheri, from Delfan. Both married and had children.  

These prisoners were transferred on Saturday, April 20, to execute the death sentence.

Javaid Rahman’s concern about human rights violations in Iran


Mr. Javaid Rahman has called for international pressure to stop executions and the violation of human rights laws by government leaders, citing the unfairness of court proceedings and the systematic use of torture in interrogations.

In his report, Rahman referred to the increase in the number of arrests, executions, and arbitrary killings by security forces. He also mentioned the government’s actions in suppressing dissenters.

Source: iranhrs.org, Staff, April 21, 2024

_____________________________________________________________________








"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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