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
- 9,155
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 9,155 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
SEPTEMBER 23, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Khairallah Jamshidi executed in Minab on September 23
SEPTEMBER 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Rahmatollah Nouruzof sentenced to death for terrorism
On September 21
SEPTEMBER 19, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Prisoners'swap: 5 Americans and 6 billions for 5 Iranians
SEPTEMBER 17, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Shiraz on September 13 and 17
Ramezan Yavari, Mozafar Sanjarani + Unk
SEPTEMBER 13, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ali Mansour Khakzad executed in Boroujerd on September 13
544 executions in 2023
SEPTEMBER 10, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Birjand on Septembe 10
Mohsen and Saeed Sanjarani, and Abdolnaser Ghaljayi
SEPTEMBER 9, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Zahedan on September 9
Mohammad Narouyi (Narouei) + 2 Unk
SEPTEMBER 8, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Saeed … executed in Tabriz in the last days
SEPTEMBER 8, 2023AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYTEHRAN AND KABUL TRADE ACCUSATIONS OF RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
The Taliban's foreign minister has criticised its leading economic ally and political supporter, Tehran, for the high number of executions in Iran, Farsi media reported.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Unidentified woman executed in Qom on September 5
18 women executed in 2023
SEPTEMBER 5, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ali Abbas Najari executed in Shiraz on September 5
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A woman, Mahboubeh Roshandel, executed in Mashhad on September 4
SEPTEMBER 3, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Houshang Moghtaderi executed in Ahvaz on September 3
AUGUST 31, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Javad Rouhi has died under suspicious circumstances
A protester sentenced to death
AUGUST 29, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hamed Sargazi and Esmaeil Hajizadeh executed in Hamedan on August 29
531 executions since the beginning of 2023
AUGUST 27, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Wafa Kharamani executed in Saqqez on August 27
528 executions in Iran in 2023
AUGUST 27, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Sobhan Eftekharedin executed in Aligudarz on August 27
- AUGUST 26, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Milad Yazdanpanah executed in Zarand on August 26
AUGUST 23, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Qezel Hesar on August 23
Kiumars Rezaei, Rahman Ebrahimi and Behrouz Rahmani
AUGUST 23, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Unidentied man executed in Mahvelat on August 23
AUGUST 23, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mehdi Karami executed in Karaj on August 23
AUGUST 22, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Shouresh Morovati executed in Sanandaj on August 22
AUGUST 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 5 men executed in Zahedan on August 21
Abdolsamad Khadem, Yaghoub Ejbari, Mohammad Anwar Barahouyi, Esmail Ghanbarzehi and 'Mir'
AUGUST 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Abdolreza Ghalavand executed in Ahvaz on August 21
AUGUST 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Jamil Abodllahzadeh and Mehran Amiri executed in Qazvin on August 21
AUGUST 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Rasoul Narouyi executed in Kahnuj on August 21
AUGUST 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Kerman on August 21
Saeed Rigi, Abdolghafour Toumaj and Amir Rahimi
AUGUST 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Yazdan Varehzardi executed in Ahvaz on august 21
AUGUST 20, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mousa Afkhami executed in Sari on August 20
AUGUST 19, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Abdul Samad Shahozehi and Mahmoud Rigi executed in Zahedan on August 19