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
OCTOBER 17, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO MEN EXECUTED IN SHAHREKORD PRISON
Two Prisoners were executed on murder charges at Shahrekord prison on 14 October 2018 morning.
- OCTOBER 16, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Behrooz Ansari-Lanjan executed
IRAN - Behrooz Ansari-Lanjan executed
OCTOBER 16, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED AT TABRIZ CENTRAL PRISON
According to HRANA, in the morning of 17 April 2018 a prisoner was executed at Tabriz Central Prison on murder charges. The prisoner was identified as Hossein Tal’ati, 31.
OCTOBER 15, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR HEDAYAT ABDOLLAHPOUR
Supreme Court Branch 47 has upheld the death sentence for Urmia prisoner Hedayat Abdollahpour, one of several defendants charged in connection to the Oshnavieh clashes, his lawyer Hossein Ahmadiniaz told HRANA on 10 October 2018. It also upheld the prison
OCTOBER 9, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT QAZVIN CENTRAL PRISON
According to IHR sources, on the morning of 2 October 2018 Hamed Valizadeh was hanged at Qazvin Central Prison (also called Chubin Dar).
OCTOBER 8, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED AT RAJAI SHAHR PRISON
Based on information from Iran Human Rights (IHR) sources, three prisoners held at Rajai Shahr Prison were executed on the morning of 3 October 2018.
OCTOBER 2, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: A FEMALE JUVENILE OFFENDER AND FOUR MEN HANGED
Zeynab Sekanvand, a juvenile offender who was 17 years old when arrested for the murder of her husband, was executed on October 2, 2018 morning at Urmia prison along with four other prisoners.
OCTOBER 1, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN DRIVE AGAINST ECONOMIC CRIMES
Special courts set up in a drive against financial crime have sentenced three people to death in Iran, state television reported on September 30, 2018
OCTOBER 1, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: POLITICAL PRISONER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Supreme Court in Iran accepted the death sentence of Arsalan Khodkam, a political prisoner, Iran Human Rights reported on September 26, 2018.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT TONEKABON'S PRISON
According to a report by HRANA, on the morning of September 25, 2018 one prisoner was executed at Nashtarud-Tonekabon Prison.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED ON DRUG CHARGES DESPITE CASE OBSCURITY
Iranian authorities executed a man for drug related charges on September 15, 2018.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR ALLEGED PDKI CONNECTIONS
Iranian judiciary authorities on September 23, 2018 issued the death penalty to a Kurdish inmate over political activities and alleged membership in a Kurdish party.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: NINE PRISONERS HANGED AT SHIRAZ PRISON
According to the state-run news agency, Mizan, on the morning of September 22, 2018 nine prisoners were executed at Adel Abad Prison in Shiraz.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
According to Javanonline website, the Criminal Court of Tehran has issued a verdict for Mehrdad for the third time and this time he is sentenced to death, Iranian Global Network reported on September 18, 2018.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT SARAVAN PRISON
According to a close source, on September 12, 2018 a prisoner who was sentenced to death on murder charges was executed at Saravan Prison.
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN AUTHORITIES EXECUTED THREE BALOCH PRISONERS
According to the Baloch Activists Campaign, three political prisoners detained in Zahedan prison were transferred to solitary confinement on September 1st, 2018 and executed on 3rd September.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED TO DEATH WITHOUT WARNING
Kamal Ahmadnejad, a prisoner held on death row in Miandoab Prison in northwestern Iran, was precipitously executed in the early morning.
SEPTEMBER 8, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE KURDISH POLITICAL PRISONER EXECUTED
Three Iranian Kurdish political prisoner, Ramin Hossein Panahi, Loghman Moradi and Zanyar Moradi, were executed this morning at Rajai Shahr prison in Karaj.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AT LEAST EIGHT PRISONERS HANGED IN RAJAI SHAHR PRISON
A group of eight prisoners were hanged in Rajai Shahr Prison.
- SEPTEMBER 2, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER BEING EXECUTED IN 2018
IHR can confirm information about the execution of Abolfazl Naderi, a juvenile offender who was arrested at the age of 16 for an alleged murder.
- AUGUST 29, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO INMATES IN RAJAEI SHAHR PRISON OF KARAJ
Two prisoners were executed in Rajaei Shahr Prison of Karaj, west of Tehran.
- AUGUST 26, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN ARDABIL
AUGUST 8, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED IN MINAB
According to a report by Azad News Agency (ANA), on the morning three prisoners were executed at Minab Prison.
- JULY 27, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS WERE HANGED AT URMIA CENTRAL PRISON
Two prisoners were hanged on drug related charges at Urmia Central prison
- JULY 22, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO MEN PUBLICLY HANGED IN MASHHAD
Two prisoners convicted of murder were publicly hanged in Mashhad, capital of the northeastern Iranian province of Razavi Khorasan, the state-run ISNA news agency reported.
- JULY 21, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN RASHT
According to a close source, a prisoner was executed at Rasht Central Prison.
- JULY 20, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FIVE PRISONERS HANGED IN KERMANSHAH PRISON
Five prisoners were executed at Dizel Abad Prison in Kermansh.
- JULY 18, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 65-YEAR-OLD PRISONER HANGED WITHOUT GIVING HIM ANY WARNING
A death row inmate in Dizelabad Prison of Kermanshah was executed, while he was given just a few hours notice before he is hanged, and relatives are not notified until the prisoner is already dead.
JULY 16, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN EXECUTED IN MASHHAD
According to a report by Khorasan Newspaper, on the morning a prisoner was executed at Mashhad Prison.
JULY 14, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: WEBSITE MANAGER SENTENCED TO DEATH
According to a close source, Mohammad Hossein Maleki, 47, from Shahin Shahr in Isfahan, was arrested by the agents of the Ministry of Intelligence on March 1, 2017.