American human rights activists sent a petition to Acting Chief Justice and US Attorney General Jeff Rosen calling for the postponement or abolition of federal executions planned until the end of the transitional government period.
As of Friday, December 25, 5:20 Moscow time, the appeal was signed by about 20.5 thousand people.
The initiative was initiated by the non-governmental organization Death Penalty Action. Human rights activists drew Rosen’s attention to the fact that the outgoing administration last carried out executions between the elections and the inauguration of the new president 131 years ago.
In addition, they reminded the official that President-elect Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated in less than a month, promised to abolish the death penalty at the federal level.
“The outgoing president should not implement an agenda that contradicts the position of the new administration. The officials appointed by him should not do this, including those who temporarily perform the duties of the persons appointed by him, ”the text says.
It is noted that after the elections, executions have already been carried out on November 19, December 10 and December 11. Three more are scheduled for January 12, 14 and 15, 2021.
At the end of November, the US Department of Justice authorized the execution of criminals convicted at the federal level in any way legal in the territory of this state. In some of them, gas poisoning, execution by electric chair, and execution are allowed.
In July, the US authorities resumed executions at the federal level 17 years later. Since 2003, an unofficial moratorium has been in effect – capital punishment was applied only at the state level. Three criminals were executed in the first week.
Currently, there are about 60 people in US federal prisons who have been sentenced to death for especially serious crimes.