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UN human rights chief Volker Turk said Iran has executed at least 56 people since March on national security-related charges, warning of a sharp surge in the use of the death penalty as authorities move to suppress dissent following a January uprising. He specified that 27 of those executions were in cases linked to the January protests. Turk called on Tehran to halt executions and to end the use of capital punishment against those accused of political or protest-related offences. Rights groups have reported a broader intensification of arrests, forced confessions and expedited trials in Iran since the unrest, which coincided with heightened external pressure and the war with the United States. Iranian authorities have defended the sentences as lawful responses to security threats. The UN statement adds to international scrutiny of Tehran's internal crackdown at a time when it is also engaged in negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and a possible deal with Washington.