Amnesty International has expressed concern over an 'unprecedented spike' in the number of executions in Iran.
The rights watch group said that it believed 694 people were killed between January 1 and July 15, almost three times the figure acknowledged by the authorities, reported the BBC.
Citing credible reports, Amnesty added that at least 743 people were executed in the country in 2014.
It termed the surge 'disturbing,' adding that the death sentences were imposed by courts 'completely lacking in independence and impartiality'.
The watch group said that the death penalties were imposed for either 'vaguely worded or overly broad offences or acts' that should not be criminalised at all.
Terming legal trials in Iran as 'deeply flawed,' Amnesty said that the detainees were often denied access to lawyers and there were inadequate procedures for appeal, pardon and commutation.
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