Fan Weiqu and Xu Jiajin, perpetrators of deadly attacks in Zhuhai and Wuxi respectively, resulting in a combined death toll exceeding 40, were executed on Monday. Fan, driven by divorce-related anger, used his car to kill at least 35, while Xu, fueled by academic and professional frustrations, stabbed eight to death. These “revenge on society crimes” prompted President Xi Jinping to call for preventative measures. Both death sentences, handed down in December, were swiftly carried out following Supreme Court approval.
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Taiwan executed Huang Lin-kai, convicted of a double murder and rape, marking its first execution in nearly five years and sparking condemnation from human rights groups. The Justice Ministry cited the severity of the crimes as justification, despite a Constitutional Court ruling limiting capital punishment to exceptional circumstances. This execution follows a moratorium lifted in 2010, with the death penalty remaining popular in Taiwan despite international criticism. The opposition Kuomintang party, conversely, supports capital punishment and urged the government to execute the remaining death row inmates.
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Zimbabwe has officially abolished the death penalty, ending capital punishment after a nearly two-decade hiatus. President Mnangagwa, who previously faced a death sentence himself, approved legislation pardoning the approximately 60 individuals currently on death row. This move is lauded by Amnesty International as a positive step for the abolitionist movement in Africa, where several other nations are also considering similar reforms. The law reflects a global trend toward reducing capital punishment, although executions remain prevalent in several countries worldwide.
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Despite Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s 2022 claim to have abolished the death penalty except for murder, Saudi Arabia executed a record-high 330 people in 2023, a significant increase from previous years. This surge, comprised of over 150 individuals convicted of non-lethal crimes like drug smuggling and vaguely defined terrorism charges, contradicts international law. The executions included numerous foreign nationals, highlighting concerns about due process and fair trials within the Saudi legal system. This drastic increase in executions clashes sharply with the kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan to modernize its image and attract international tourism.
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President-elect Trump intends to reverse President Biden’s commutation of 37 federal death sentences, directing the Department of Justice to aggressively pursue capital punishment upon his inauguration. This action follows Trump’s consistent campaign rhetoric advocating for increased use of the death penalty, particularly for violent crimes and drug trafficking. While Biden’s commutations are irreversible, Trump’s administration can resume seeking the death penalty in future cases. Three individuals remain on federal death row, all convicted of mass violence.
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President-elect Trump intends to aggressively pursue the death penalty, reversing President Biden’s commutation of 37 federal death sentences. This stance contradicts evidence of the death penalty’s ineffectiveness as a deterrent and its inherent biases. Trump’s plans extend beyond murder, encompassing drug trafficking and potentially other crimes, raising concerns among opponents. His administration’s approach stands in stark contrast to the growing national and international movement toward abolishing capital punishment.
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President-elect Trump strongly condemned President Biden’s commutation of sentences for 37 of 40 federal death row inmates, vowing to vigorously pursue capital punishment upon his inauguration. Trump criticized the commutations as senseless and disrespectful to victims’ families, intending to focus on cases involving violent criminals. While the extent of his actions remains unclear, his statement suggests a more assertive approach to federal death penalty cases than previous administrations. Experts note that enacting significant changes to death penalty policy faces substantial legal and practical challenges.
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President Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of the 40 individuals on federal death row, changing their punishments to life imprisonment without parole. This action, undertaken weeks before the incoming Trump administration, leaves only three inmates—Dylann Roof, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, and Robert Bowers—facing execution. The decision aligns with Biden’s previously announced moratorium on federal executions and reflects his longstanding opposition to capital punishment. Biden cited his conscience and experience in justifying the move, contrasting his approach with Trump’s stated intention to expand the use of the death penalty.
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President Biden commuted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates, changing their punishments to life imprisonment without parole. This action, excluding three inmates convicted of terrorism or hate crimes, follows months of advocacy and reflects Biden’s evolving stance against the death penalty. The decision aims to prevent the incoming administration from resuming federal executions, a practice significantly increased under the Trump administration. This commutation is part of a broader clemency initiative by Biden, unprecedented in its scale and scope.
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John Q. Hosedrinker