Iran
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 869
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 2,156
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The 1999 figures for capital sentences and executions...
- News items in the archive
- 8,611
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
Iran is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 869 executions in the country, against 2,156 the year before. The archive holds 8,611 news items on Iran, from 1999 to today.
Iran is one of the countries where the association records the highest number of executions each year. The usual method is hanging, and capital punishment applies to a wide list of offences: murder, drug offences, offences against state security, sexual offences, and charges such as moharebeh, enmity against God, which allow very broad application.
Many executions are never announced. They emerge from local sources, from human rights organisations and from families. For Iran, more than anywhere else, the archive's count is a documented minimum.
Latest news
AUGUST 13, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Unidentified man executed in Khorramabad on August 13
AUGUST 12, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Cheraghali Bamri executed in Zahedan on August 12
AUGUST 12, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - A woman, Roghieh Abedini, executed in Hamedan on August 12
217 women executed in Iran since 2007
- AUGUST 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Rajai Shahr Prison Closure
Intentional Destruction of Evidence of Crimes Against Humanity
- AUGUST 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Prisoner swap with USA
Siamak Namazi, Morad Tahbaz, Emad Sharqi + 2 Unk.
AUGUST 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ahmad Karimdadzehi and Hamid Garkhil executed Mashhad on August 10
489 executions in 2023
AUGUST 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Afshin Rahimihedayat executed in Hamedan on August 10
AUGUST 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hamid Barahouyi and Ahmad Narouyi executed in Mashhad on August 10
- AUGUST 9, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 5 men executed in Marand on August 9
Identities not disclosed
AUGUST 9, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Manouchehr Khazaei and Ahad Hashemi executed in Hamedan on August 9
AUGUST 9, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Asadollah Arjomand (Arjmand) executed in Yasuj on August 9
AUGUST 8, 2023GermanyDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Germany Intensifies Efforts To Release Jamshid Sharmahd
AUGUST 8, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hossein Nasirian and Hassan Ali Shakib executed in Shiraz on August 8
AUGUST 7, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Abdul Ghafar Shahiki + Unk executed in Kerman on August 7
- AUGUST 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 4 men executed in Karaj on August 6
Amir Jahangiri, Javad Bazgari, Sajjad Nazari and Mohsen Sharafi (Sharfi)
AUGUST 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Unidentified man executed in Dezful on August 6
AUGUST 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Jabar Moslemi executed in Qazvin on August 6
AUGUST 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ali Eslami executed in Nishapur on August 6
AUGUST 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Arsalan Kazemi + Unk executed in Arak on August 6
AUGUST 6, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Sajjad Hashemi executed in Karaj on August 6
AUGUST 2, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Khorramabad on August 2
Mohammad Javad Akbari, Sharif Akbari and Kianoush Teymouri
AUGUST 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mehdi Baboli Bahmai executed in Ahvaz on August 1
AUGUST 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Farhad Badrouzeh executed in Birjand on August 1
AUGUST 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Zahedan on August 1
Hossein Gomashadzehi, Yousef Kalbali + Unk
AUGUST 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ruhollah Azizi executed in Arak on August 1
- AUGUST 1, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Massoud Eshaghzehi executed in Zabol on August 1
JULY 31, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Zahedan on July 31
Saeed (Aref) Barahouyi, Ali Barahouyi and Khodarahm Mohammadani
JULY 31, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Rahim Ghaljaei executed in Birjand on July 31
JULY 31, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Asadollah Amini (also Asadullah Bahrami) executed in Zabol on July 31
JULY 30, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Bidollah Gorgij executed in Zahedan on July 30