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
- 9,164
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 9,164 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
DECEMBER 7, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Unidentified man executed in Qom on December 7
586 executions since the beginning of 2022
- DECEMBER 7, 2022IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Baratali Sheikhalizadeh executed in Karaj on December 7
DECEMBER 5, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Nasser Omarzahi and Alireza Naroouie executed in Zahedan on December 5
DECEMBER 5, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Death sentences for protesters
DECEMBER 4, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Four men executed for 'intelligence cooperation' with Israel
DECEMBER 4, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Heydar Hassani Maram executed in Yasui on December 4
DECEMBER 4, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Gholam Rasoul Mazarzehi and Anoushirvan Omarzehi executed in Zahedan on December 4
DECEMBER 3, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Woman, Mouloud Molazadeh, executed in Isfahan on December 3
DECEMBER 3, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Zakaria Rigi and Hojjat Saif Panah executed in Shiraz on December 3
- DECEMBER 1, 2022IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Majid Mehdipour and Massoud Efati executed in Rasht on December 1
DECEMBER 1, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Amanullah Rakhshani executed in Sabzevar on December 1
565 executions since the beginning of the year
NOVEMBER 30, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Parviz Brahui executed in Bandar Abbas on November 30
NOVEMBER 30, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Iran To Try 10 Underage Protesters On Death Penalty Charges
- NOVEMBER 30, 2022IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Iran sentences 4 people to death for ‘cooperating’ with Israel
Maybe even executed
NOVEMBER 30, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Death sentence for the mother of 3
6-year-old girl shot in the eye
NOVEMBER 28, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mohammad Amin Omar Zehi and Noor Mohammad Mazar Zehi executed in Zahedan on November 28
NOVEMBER 28, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Abdullah Salah Zahi executed in Iranshahr on November 28
NOVEMBER 28, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Death Sentence For Anyone Contacting Foreign Media
NOVEMBER 28, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - … Turkzadeh executed in Hamadan on November 28
(first name unknown)
NOVEMBER 27, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ziber Brahui executed in Zahedan on November 27
NOVEMBER 27, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Muhammad Umar Khame executed in Mashhad
NOVEMBER 27, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - 5 men executed in Shiraz on November 27
Hojat Nemati, Abbas Sabz, Omar Zardkohi, Shahram Ahmadzadeh + unknown
NOVEMBER 27, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Changiz Gergij executed in Zabol on November 27
NOVEMBER 27, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mohammad Omar Khameh executed in Mashhad on November 27
NOVEMBER 26, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mohammad Isa Zahi executed in Zahedan on November 26
NOVEMBER 26, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hossein Kheirollahi and Saheb Rasouli executed in Isfahan on November 26
NOVEMBER 24, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Special meeting of the Human Rights Council on the deteriorating of human rights in Iran
NOVEMBER 23, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mehdi Lotfi executed in Ilam on November 23
- NOVEMBER 23, 2022IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Unidentified man executed in Isfahan on November 23
NOVEMBER 23, 2022IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Niaz Jadgal executed in Chabahar Prison on November 23