GENEVA, Jan 19, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iran appears to be using executions "as atool of state intimidation", the United Nations said Monday, as it denounceda jump in capital punishment globally in 2025. "The scale and pace of executions suggest a systematic use of capitalpunishment as a tool of state intimidation, with disproportionate impact onethnic minorities and migrants," he warned. While the overall global trend continues to move towards universal abolitionof the death penalty, Iran and a handful of other states such as Saudi Arabiaand the United States saw executions surge. "This is not only incompatible with international law, but also ineffectivein deterring crime," Turk insisted. It also highlighted the ongoing public executions in Afghanistan, "in breachof international law".
