UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Wednesday voiced alarm over a sharp rise in executions in Iran, saying the death penalty is being used to instill fear and silence dissent.
In a statement, Turk said at least 56 people have been executed on national security-related charges since March 19, including 27 linked to protests earlier this year.
He warned that more than 100 other people are currently at risk of execution on similar charges, while executions for drug-related offenses also continue at what he described as an alarming pace.
Concerns over fair trials
Turk said persistent shortcomings in due process and fair trial guarantees remain a major concern, alleging that some confessions were obtained through torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
He also cited reports of public executions, cases carried out only weeks after arrest, and one trial in which 12 defendants were reportedly sentenced to death following a closed-door hearing lasting just three hours.
The UN rights chief urged Iran to immediately halt executions and move towards abolishing the death penalty, calling capital punishment incompatible with the right to life and human dignity.
Iran has defended its actions, saying those executed were involved in national security offenses and accusing the United States and Israel of orchestrating violence during this year's unrest.
