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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 | Executions in Arak, Saveh, Saqqez, Ghezelhesar

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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 26, 2024: Javad Asgari, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Arak Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Arak Central Prison on 24 April. His identity has been established as Javad Asgari who was sentenced to qisas for murder.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

In 2023, at least 282 people including two juvenile offenders and 15 women, were executed for murder charges, the second highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 20% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2023, Iran Human Rights also recorded 857 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions.

Man executed in Saveh


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 26, 2024: Yavar Aminkhah, a man on death row for drug-related charges, was executed in Saveh Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Saveh Prison on 24 April. His identity has been established as 37-year-old Yavar Aminkhah who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Yavar Aminkhah was a father of a young child and had been arrested around three years ago.”

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2023 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 471 people were executed for drug-related charges, an 84% increase compared to 2022 (256) and about 18 times the average of drug-related executions in 2018-2020.

On 10 April 2024, 80+ Iranian and international organisations and groups called for joint action to stop drug-related executions, urging UNODC to make “any cooperation with the Islamic Republic contingent on a complete halt on drug-related executions.”

Execution in Saqqez


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 25, 2024: Farzad Khademi, a Kurdish man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Saqqez Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a Kurdish man was executed in Saqqez Central Prison on 25 April. His identity has been established as Farzad Khademi from Saqqez who was sentenced to qisas for murder. IHRNGO reported that he was transferred for execution on 23 April.

An informed source previously told IHRNGO: “Farzad Khademi was arrested for the murder of a man named Tirdad Atashafrouz on 2 July 2020 and sentenced to qisas. The murdered man was a member of the Kurdistan Freedom Party who’d surrendered but was shot dead by Farzad Khademi over a personal dispute.”

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Three executions in Ghezelhesar Prison


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 25, 2024: Ali Khoshavaz, a man on death row for drug-related charges, and Shahram Sharghi and Alireza Aghayi, who were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, were executed in Ghezelhesar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man named Ali Khoshavaz was executed in Ghezelhesar Prison in Karaj on 21 April. He was sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

Iran Human Rights previously reported the executions of Abdolbari Pashtu and Alireza Pourshahbaz for drug offences at the prison that day.

Furthermore, two other men were executed at the prison on 24 April. Their identities have been established as Shahram Sharghi and Alireza Aghayi who were both 35 years old and from Tehran. They were sentenced to qisas for murder.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Ali Khoshavaz was executed for just 5kg of drugs. Shahram Sharghi was arrested 14 years ago and Alireza Aghayi was arrested five years ago.”

At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2023 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 471 people were executed for drug-related charges, an 84% increase compared to 2022 (256) and about 18 times the average of drug-related executions in 2018-2020. Baluch minorities who constitute 2-6% of Iran’s population, made up 30% of drug executions in 2023.

On 10 April 2024, 80+ Iranian and international organisations and groups called for joint action to stop drug-related executions, urging UNODC to make “any cooperation with the Islamic Republic contingent on a complete halt on drug-related executions.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, April 25-26, 2024

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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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