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Activists Call on President Biden to End the Federal Death Penalty Before Leaving Office

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A conversation with Death Penalty Action Co-founder and Executive Director Abe Bonowitz. Now that Joe Biden is a lame duck president, activists are holding him accountable to make good on his promise to end the federal death penalty during his remaining six months as president. Biden’s election campaign in 2020 had pledged to end the federal death penalty and incentivize the remaining 27 states that still allow executions to do the same. While he made history as the first president in the United States to openly oppose the death penalty, there has been no movement to actually end federal executions during his nearly four years in office.

Iran | Executions in Kermanshah, Shiraz; 20+ Others at Risk

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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 2, 2024: Ali Ashraf Khani, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed Kermanshah Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison on 1st May. His identity has been established as 45-year-old Ali Ashraf Khani who was sentenced to qisas for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Ali Ashraf Khani was from the village of Rikhak Khalifeh Shahmoradi in Sarpol Zahab and was alleged to have killed his brother-in-law during a family dispute around seven years ago.”

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 Shiraz; 20+ Others at Risk


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 2, 2024: Ahmad Heyrati, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed Shiraz Central Prison. Two unidentified men have been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions and up to 20 people are at risk in Pirbanu Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Shiraz Central Prison (Adel Abad) on 1st May. His identity has been established as Ahmad Heyrati who was sentenced to qisas for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Ahmad Heyrati was transferred for execution from Pirbanu Prison in Shiraz to Adel Abad three days ago.”

“There are currently around 50 death row inmates on the second floor in Ward 11 of Pirbanu Prison. The majority of those in Wards 3, 4 and 5 of the prison have also been sentenced to death for drug and or murder charges. Prisoners were told 15-20 of them will be transferred to Adel Abad prison for execution in the next week,” the source added.

Furthermore, two other murder death row inmates have been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions in Shiraz Central Prison (Adel Abad).

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, May 2, 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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