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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.

Iran | Executions in Isfahan, Naghdeh, Karaj, Jiroft

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 1, 2024: Hamed Doyesti, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Isfahan Central Prison. Per informed IHRNGO sources, there are currently more than 70 murder death row prisoners awaiting execution at the prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 31 October. His identity has been established as 35-year-old Hamed Doyesti who was arrested five years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “More than 70 murder death row prisoners currently held in wards 8, 9 and 10 of the prison, are scheduled to be executed shortly.”

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. Crucially, while an indicative amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money.

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 Naghdeh 


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 1, 2024: Vahed Beinami, a Kurdish  man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Naghdeh Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Naghdeh Prison on 31st October. His identity has been established as Vahed Beinami, a 43-year-old Kurdish man from Piranshahr.

He was arrested eight years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Revolutionary Court.

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. In the first six months of 2024, at least 147 people were executed for the charges.

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.”

Three men executed in Isfahan


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 31, 2024: Amir Jahandar, Kourosh Salehian and Reza Bidabadi were executed for murder and drug-related charges in Isfahan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 28 October. Their identities have been established as 40-year-old Amir Jahandar from Kazeroun who was on death row for drug-related charges for three years and 27-year-old Koroush Salehian who was arrested for the murder of his cousin three years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) by the Criminal Court.

Another man was executed at the prison on 31 October. His identity has been established as Reza Bidabadi who was on death row for murder for four years.

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

At least three men executed in Karaj Penitentiary


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 30, 2024: Ali Akbar (Mohsen) Akhayer, Ali Moravat Karami and Akbar Khalili, three men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Karaj Penitentiary.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least three men were executed in Karaj Penitentiary (Central Prison) on 29th October. Their identities have been established as Ali Akbar (Mohsen) Akhayer, Ali Moravat Karami and Akbar Khalili who were sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Revolutionary Court in separate cases.

Ali Akbar Akhayer was on death row for four years.

At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Man executed in Jiroft


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 30, 2024: Ahmad Salari was executed for murder charges in Jiroft Prison

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Jiroft Prison in Kerman province on 30 October. His identity has been established as Ahmad Salari. He was arrested 10 years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, October 30-1, November 1, 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



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