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
- 8,610
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 8,610 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 11, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED AT GORGAN PRISON
A prisoner was hanged on the charge of rape at Gorgan Central Prison on 4 December 2018
DECEMBER 10, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: INMATES HANGED AT KARAJ AND BANDAR ABBAS PRISONS
Two prisoners were hanged on 8 December 2018 at the prisons of Karaj and Bandar Abbas.
- DECEMBER 10, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MASS EXECUTION OF 12 INMATES IN KERMAN CENTRAL PRISON
Iran on 6 December 2018 executed 12 prisoners in Kerman Central Prison, most of them convicted of drug charges.
- DECEMBER 6, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER SEYYED-DANIAL ZEINOLABEDIN SENTENCED TO DEATH
Seyed Danial ZeinolAbedini is a juvenile offender whose death sentence has been upheld by the Supreme Court and is scheduled for execution, Iran Human Rights reported on 1 December 2018.
- DECEMBER 5, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER CONVICTED OF MURDERING PROMINENT CLERIC AND CHILD ABUSER HANGED
A prisoner convicted of murdering a prominent cleric who had allegedly sexually abused him when he was a minor, was hanged on 1 December 2018 morning at Rasht Central Prison in northern Iran.
- DECEMBER 3, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PUBLIC EXECUTION OF A PERSON WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
A prisoner was hanged in public at Iranian city of Taft (Central Iran) on 29 November 2018.
- NOVEMBER 30, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES AT TABRIZ CENTRAL PRISON
A prisoner was executed on murder charge at Tabriz Central Prison on 27 November 2018 morning.
- NOVEMBER 23, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED AT NUR PRISON
According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), a prisoner was hanged on the morning of 18 November 2018 at the northern Iranian city of Nur.
NOVEMBER 22, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE MEN HANGED IN PUBLIC
Three prisoners were hanged in public at Iranian city of Shiraz on 21 November 2018 morning.
- NOVEMBER 20, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED AT ZAHEDAN PRISON
According to IHR sources, Milad Nouri was hanged on the morning of 12 November 2018 at Zahedan Central Prison.
- NOVEMBER 19, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 10 PRISONERS HANGED AT RAJAEI SHAHR PRISON OF KARAJ
Ten prisoners were hanged in a group execution on 14 November 2018 at Rajaei Shahr Prison of Karaj, west of the Iranian capital of Tehran.
NOVEMBER 16, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO EXECUTED FOR ECONOMIC CORRUPTION
According to a statement by Tehran Prosecutor's Office, on 14 November 2018 morning, two prisoners were executed in Tehran.
- NOVEMBER 15, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: KURDISH WOMAN HANGED AT SANANDAJ PRISON
According to the IHR sources, a Kurdish woman, Sharareh Elyasi, was executed on a murder charge at Sanandaj prison on 13 November 2018 morning.
- NOVEMBER 14, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN EXECUTES 22 ALLEGING LINKS TO MILITARY PARADE ATTACK
Iran has executed the 22 people it arrested in late September for alleged involvement in a deadly shooting at a military parade in the southern city of Ahvaz, multiple sources told 2 rights groups on 11 November 2018.
- NOVEMBER 13, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: IRAQI CITIZEN EXECUTED ON MURDER CHARGE
According to the IHR sources, Soran Rashid Zahedi (Nickname: Soran Holiri), 33, was executed at Zanjan Central Prison on the morning of 6 November 2018.
NOVEMBER 12, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: INMATE HANGED IN ARDEKAN PRISON OF YAZD
A prisoner was hanged on 3 November 2018 at Ardakan Prison of Yazd, central Iran.
NOVEMBER 8, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: KURDISH WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH ON ADULTERY CHARGES
An Iranian court recently sentenced to death a Kurdish woman on adultery charges, a Kurdish rights group reported on 5 November 2018.
- NOVEMBER 7, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
UN RIGHTS EXPERT URGES IRAN TO END DEATH PENALTY FOR MINORS
The U.N. independent expert on human rights in Iran urged Tehran on 24 October 2018 to abolish the death penalty for juveniles.
- NOVEMBER 7, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO MORE PEOPLE RECEIVE DEATH PENALTY FOR 'ECONOMIC CRIMES'
Two men accused of “conducting organized and systematic disruption” in Iran's banking network have been condemned to death and others sentenced to prison terms, judicial sources were quoted as saying on 6 November 2018.
NOVEMBER 5, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
According to the Iranian newspaper Javan, a prisoner was sentenced to qisas (retribution in kind) on a murder charge, IHR reported on 1 November 201
NOVEMBER 2, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED AT BANDAR ABBAS PRISON
According to the IHR sources, Nouri Yarkhorshidi, 35, was executed on 28 October 2018 at Bandar Abbas Prison.
- OCTOBER 31, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: A FEMALE PRISONER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ADULTERY
A female prisoner detained in Khoy Prison, who was arrested on November 2016, was accused of adultery (sex outside marriage) after being sued by her husband and has been sentenced to death by the Criminal Court (Branch 1), the Kurdistan Human Rights Netwo
- OCTOBER 26, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A woman, identified only as Soudabeh, was executed in Maraqeh on October 26, 2018
IRAN - A woman, identified only as Soudabeh, was executed in Maraqeh on October 26, 2018
OCTOBER 25, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED AT SIRJAN PRISON
According to HRANA, on the morning of 18 October 2018, a prisoner was hanged at Sirjan Central Prison.
OCTOBER 24, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT ZAHEDAN PRISON
A prisoner was executed at Zahedan Central Prison on rape charges on 20 October 2018 morning.
- OCTOBER 24, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED AT ARDEBIL PRISON
A prisoner was hanged on 22 October 2018 at Ardebil Prison, northwest Iran.
- OCTOBER 23, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TRADERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 'DISRUPTING ECONOMY'
Iran's Supreme Court has upheld death sentences given to two financial traders convicted of illegal currency trading and "disrupting the economy", RFE/RL reported on 23 October 2018.
- OCTOBER 22, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED IN ISFAHAN
Two prisoners were hanged on 16 October 2018 in Isfahan on murder charges.
- OCTOBER 19, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED AT ILAM PRISON
A prisoner was executed on 17 October 2018 at Ilam Central Prison on murder charges.
- OCTOBER 18, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED AT FERDOWS COUNTY PRISON
According to HRANA, on 14 October 2018 a prisoner named Ayyub Jahandar, 28, from Torbat Heydariye city, was hanged at Ferdows County prison.