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
- 9,162
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 9,162 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
FEBRUARY 26, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hamid Rahimi executed in Sanandaj on February 26
FEBRUARY 26, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men and 2 women executed in Birjand on February 26
Abdolhamid Sheh Bakhsh, Ali Fanoodie + 3 unk.
FEBRUARY 26, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 5 men executed in Arak on February 26
Unidentified
FEBRUARY 23, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - EU condemns Iran over death penalty for Jamshid Sharmahd
FEBRUARY 23, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hassan Abbasi and Ali Rezaei executed in Rasht on February 23
FEBRUARY 22, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Sarkawt Ahmadi executed in Kermashan on February 22
Political prisoner
FEBRUARY 22, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 2 women executed in Karaj
Fariba Hosseini and Nazifeh …
FEBRUARY 22, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Germany is expelling two diplomats from the Iranian embassy in Berlin
over the death sentence of Jamshid Sharmahd
FEBRUARY 22, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mohammad Rasul Cholaki executed in Ilam on February 22
FEBRUARY 22, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Armin Hirani executed in Kermanshah on February 22
Hengaw has been informed on March 11
FEBRUARY 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - German Foreign Minister: Iran's Revolutionary Guards Not Terrorist Entity
FEBRUARY 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Davood Rakjan executed in Birjand on February 21
(aka Haj Nabi Kharkoohi)
FEBRUARY 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Urmia on February 21
FEBRUARY 21, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - EU To Include Iranian Judges On Sanctions List
- FEBRUARY 20, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Iran Rewards Hadi Matar, Salman Rushdie Attacker
- FEBRUARY 20, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Moslem Moradi executed in Sanandaj on February 20
FEBRUARY 20, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hassan Abyat executed in Ahvaz on February 20
FEBRUARY 20, 2023United KingdomDEATH PENALTYIRAN - UK sanctions Iranian judges, commanders and regional governors
FEBRUARY 20, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Jamshid Sharmahd sentenced to death
Iranian-German dissident kidnapped from the UAE
FEBRUARY 20, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Alireza and Safar Mohammadpour executed in Torbat Jam on on February 20
Two Baluch brothers
FEBRUARY 19, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Two protesters sentenced to death
Mansour and Nizamaldin Hut (Hoot)
FEBRUARY 18, 2023United KingdomDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Terror Threats Force Persian TV Channel
FEBRUARY 16, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Nijomi Moradi executed in Urmia on February 16
FEBRUARY 15, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 2 men (unidentified) executed in Gohardasht on February 15
FEBRUARY 15, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Parviz Frotani executed in Neyshabur on February 15
- FEBRUARY 14, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 6 Arab Political Prisoners Handed Capital Punishment On February 14
Ali Majdam, Moein Khanfari, Mohammadreza Moghadam, Seyed Salem Mousavi, Seyed Adnan Mousavi and Habib Darees
FEBRUARY 14, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 3 men executed in Arak on February 14
Mostafa Majnouni + 2 unidentified
- FEBRUARY 14, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Hassan Teyran executed in Urmia on February 14
FEBRUARY 14, 2023IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Milad Jajuyi Khanik and Mohammad Ali Akhtari Kahlan executed in Urmia on February 14
- FEBRUARY 14, 2023IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 3 prisoners were executed in Karaj on February 14