(Since 1996, Russia has refrained from executions but has not banned them).
China has mostly refrained from sabre-rattling since the election last year of Taiwan's new president, Chen Shui-bian, whose party has always inclined towards Taiwanese independence.
Since leaving Congress, Mr. Weiner has generally refrained from commenting on either the scandal that prompted his resignation or his political future.
Previn has mostly refrained from giving media interviews since she married Allen in 1997, when he was 62 and she was 27.
Although he has given speeches and joined former President Bill Clinton in leading earthquake relief efforts in Haiti, he has largely refrained from involvement in policy and political matters since President Obama took office.
Dissatisfied with Mnuchin's explanations, Waters repeatedly interrupted him to inform him that she was "reclaiming my time" ― a refrain that has since become an internet meme and feminist rallying cry.
The speaker has refrained ever since.
Masaaki Shirakawa, the central bank governor, has refrained from further easing since then as economic growth has appeared to gain momentum, buoyed by reconstruction demand since the tsunami disasters last year.
But since her election, it has refrained from attacking her.
Since the election, he has refrained from any participation in the public debate over the country's fiscal problems.
