UN rights chief urges Iran to halt all executions after 56 carried out since March

UN Human Rights Commissioner Volker Türk urged Iran to halt all executions and move toward abolishing the death penalty. At least 56 people have been executed on national security charges since March 19, including 27 linked to protests. Türk cited confessions allegedly obtained under torture, public executions, and twelve defendants sentenced to death in a single three-hour closed-door hearing without individualized determination of responsibility.