Amnesty report: Executions down but death sentences on the rise

(CNN)Governments around the world are using the threat of terrorism -- real or perceived -- to advance executions, Amnesty International alleges in its annual report on the death penalty.

"The dark trend of governments using the death penalty in a futile attempt to tackle real or imaginary threats to state security and public safety was stark last year," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty's Secretary General in a release.

"It is shameful that so many states around the world are essentially playing with people's lives -- putting people to death for 'terrorism' or to quell internal instability on the ill-conceived premise of deterrence."  Read More at Amnesty report:

Amnesty report: Executions down but death sentences on the rise