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
OCTOBER 19, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Saeed Sadeghi executed in Saravan Prison on October 19
For murder
OCTOBER 19, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYRAN - Brothers Ali-Muhammad and Eslam Muhammadi Executed in Ahvaz on October 19
Their mother died after the execution having a heart stroke
OCTOBER 18, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Musa Sheh-bakhsh executed in Zahedan Prison on October 18
At least 293 executions in 2021
OCTOBER 14, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - EU Representative Visited Iran Despite Iran’s Brutal Human Rights Abuses
Enrique Mora traveled to Iran on October 14
OCTOBER 13, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ali Omar Amrolelahi and Unknown Man Executed in Qom on October 13
For murder
OCTOBER 13, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hamed Jafar-Zadeh, Soheil Hojjat-Far, and Yunes (last name unknown) executed in Zanjan on October 13
For drugs
OCTOBER 12, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Urgent: Juvenile Offender Arman Abdolali Scheduled to be Executed in 24 Hours
OCTOBER 12, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hossein Amiri, Hossein Shamsi, Ali Mokhtari and Yavar Dehzadeh Executed in Isfahan on October 12
On drug-related charges
- OCTOBER 12, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Yousef Seifali executed in Isfahan Prison on October 12
301 executions since the beginning of the year
OCTOBER 11, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Omid Sarani executed in Birjand Prison on October 11
282 executions in 2021
- OCTOBER 11, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ebrahim Rakhshani executed in Ghaen on October 11
On drug-related charges
OCTOBER 11, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mohammad Latifi and Unknown Man Executed in Kermanshah on October 11
OCTOBER 11, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Manouchehr Kazemi executed in Karaj on October 11
For murder
OCTOBER 10, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Four men executed in Shiraz Central Prison in September
Meysam Atefifard, Hadi Razi, Rasoul Akrami and Omid Keshtkar
- OCTOBER 10, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Esmail Ghassabi-Sini executed in Isfahan on October 10
No further details
OCTOBER 8, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Women and the Death Penalty in Iran
A 12 Year Analysis
OCTOBER 6, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mojtaba Shaker Executed in Yazd on 6 October 2021
The news was reported by IHR on February 21, 2022
- OCTOBER 3, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Father and son executed in Yazd Prison on October 3
Hossein and Ramin Dadzadeh
OCTOBER 2, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hossein Hedayati executed in Amol Prison on October 2
For murder
- OCTOBER 1, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 4 inmates executed in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz on October 1
At least 277 executions in Iran so far in 2021
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mashallah Sabzi Executed
Based on Qassameh Testimony
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Amirhossein Hatemi died under torture on September 23
At the Greater Tehran Penitentiary
SEPTEMBER 29, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Yasin Abdullahi executed in Zahedan Prison on September 29
For murder
SEPTEMBER 29, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Abbasgholi Salehi, Hamid Shahsanayi and Mohammad Barahouyi executed in Isfahan on September 29
81 executions for drug related crimes
SEPTEMBER 29, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Farhad Salehi-Jabehdar executed in Karaj Prison on September 29
On rape charges
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Sohrab Naji and Vahab Samadi executed in Shiraz on September 25
Naji for drugs, Samadi for murder
SEPTEMBER 23, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mass executions in prisons in the north of the country in September
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Hrana received reports regarding mass executions
in Taybad, Torbat-e Jam, and Mashhad prisons
SEPTEMBER 22, 2021IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ahmad Forouhid executed in Boroujerd Prison on September 22
For murder
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2021IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Unidentified man executed in Karaj Prison on September 22
for murder during a robbery