In addition, the outgoing US president commuted the sentences of two other people who were convicted in the 1990s.
On Sunday, which is his last full day in office, outgoing US President Joe Biden pardoned five people, including the late black human rights activist Marcus Garvey, who at one time influenced Malcolm X, for example. The president commuted the sentences of two other people. This was announced by the White House, TASR reports, according to Reuters and AP reports.
Garvey, who died in 1940, was a leader in the black civil rights movement. In 1923, he was sentenced to five years in prison for mail fraud, but the sentence was considered controversial and politically motivated by a section of society. American President Calvin Coolidge pardoned him for the remainder of his sentence in 1927.
Human rights organizations consider Garvey to be the first person to organize a mass movement of African Americans. In its statement, the White House recalled that Garvey created the shipping company Black Star Line and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association, which celebrated African history and culture.
Others pardoned are Darryl Chambers, a gun violence prevention advocate, and immigrant rights advocate Ravidath “Ravi” Ragbir. Both were convicted for the so-called non-violent crimes. Another pardoned is Don Leonard Scott, who was elected to the Virginia state legislature in 2019 and became its first black speaker last year, the White House said. Kemba Smithová Pradiaová, who lobbied for the reform of the penal system, was also pardoned.
In addition, Biden commuted the sentences of two other people who were convicted in the 1990s, who the president said have so far shown remarkable recovery. They are Robin Peoples and Michelle West.
The DPA agency comments that American presidents tend to grant pardons before the end of their term of office. In recent weeks, Biden has pardoned or reduced the sentences of hundreds of people convicted of mostly non-violent drug crimes. Many of them were convicted under legislation that has since been amended. However, according to DPA, the outgoing president earned considerable criticism when in early December he pardoned his son Hunter Biden, who was convicted of illegal possession of a weapon and tax offenses.
