Social Action Linking Together (SALT) is a network of more than 1,200 advocates for justice in Virginia embracing the principle that: “The justice of a society can be measured by how the most vulnerable members of that society are faring and being treated.” This principle inspires SALT members to propose and shape fair public social policies through our education of policy makers and our advocacy for the poor and powerless. I am SALT’s Founder and Coordinator, and I am writing to you today in behalf of all our advocates for justice.

SALT opposes the death penalty. We are in solidarity with the many religious leaders in opposing the death penalty, especially with Pope Francis, who recently said in “Fratelli Tutti,” his most recent encyclical letter: “Today we state clearly that ‘the death penalty is inadmissible’ and the Church is firmly committed to calling for its abolition worldwide.” 

SALT is also in solidarity with CURE. Charles Sullivan of International CURE recently wrote to you about CURE’s opposition to the death penalty. We agree with all said in his letter, including the following:

• We urge the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) to strongly encourage correctional officers in your union not to participate in the three federal executions scheduled for January 12, 14 and 15 at Terre Haute, Indiana.　
• The role of a correctional officer is "correcting" and not participating in killing.
• The application of the death penalty unjustly includes racism, mental illness, disabilities and legal questions. Most of these conditions are present in these three executions scheduled in a few weeks. The late Senator Mark Hatfield, a Republican from Oregon, totally opposed the federal death penalty. In the mid-nineties, although he was not able to stop the expansion of death sentences by Congress, he was able to place a stipulation in federal law that those required to participate in an execution could "for moral or religious reasons" not participate in an execution. This means that any person who does opt out will not be penalized in any way, especially in employment by the Bureau of Prisons. 
• Besides non-participation based on moral and religious reasons, the danger of being infected with COVID-19 is real. Eight members of the execution team conducting the recent executions have been infected with the virus. Two out of the three persons scheduled to be executed are also infected. 　

In summary, we respectfully ask that the AFGE  encourage correctional officers not to participate in the last three executions in January 2020 scheduled by the Trump Administration. Hopefully, these may be the last federal executions in history, since President-Elect Biden has pledged to abolish the death penalty.