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 31, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED AT MARAGHEH PRISON
According to a close source, on the morning a prisoner was executed at Maragheh Prison (Northwestern Iran) on murder charges.
OCTOBER 29, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED AT ZAHEDAN CENTRAL PRISON ON MURDER CHARGES
According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a prisoner was executed at Zahedan Central prison on murder charges.
OCTOBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC
According to a report by the Iranian state-run news agency Rokna, on the morning a prisoner was executed in public at Ghamsal (Keshavarz) Square in the city of Khoy (Northwestern Iran).
OCTOBER 25, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN PRISONERS HANGED IN RAJAI SHAHR PRISON
According to a close source, on the morning seven prisoners were executed at Rajai Shahr Prison of Karaj.
- OCTOBER 25, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC
According to Iranian state media, on the morning, a prisoner was executed in public in Jahanabad (a village in Fahraj Rural District, Kerman Province) on murder charges.
OCTOBER 25, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: APPROVAL OF THE NEW ANTI-NARCOTIC BILL BY THE GUARDIAN COUNCIL
The bill that restricts the execution of those sentenced to death for petty drug offenses, which was approved on October 18, is a potentially a significant in decreasing the number of executions in Iran. However, it still doesn’t fully conform to what hum
OCTOBER 24, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN YAZD CENTRAL PRISON
A prisoner was hanged on the morning in the Yazd Central Prison.
- OCTOBER 23, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
STOCKHOLM ACADEMIC GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE IN IRAN
Ahmadreza Djalali, a researcher at Stockholm’s Karolinska Institute, has been sentenced to death in Iran, according to reports.
OCTOBER 14, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED AT RASHT CENTRAL PRISON
According to a close source, on the morning of October 14, a prisoner was executed at Rasht Central Prison.
OCTOBER 12, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED ON MOHAREBEH CHARGES AT KERMAN PRISON
According to ISNA and the Deputy of Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s office of Kerman, Mokhtar Shamsuddini, on the morning of October 12, a prisoner was hanged at Kerman Prison.
- OCTOBER 8, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG OFFENCES
According to the Iranian state-run news agency Mehr, on the morning of October 8, a prisoner was executed at Qazvin Central Prison. This prisoner was sentenced to death for drug related charges.
SEPTEMBER 28, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EXECUTION OF A PRISONER IN KERMAN
According to a report by ISNA and the deputy of Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office for Central Kerman Province, a prisoner who was charged with murder was hanged at Kerman prison.
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
MAN EXECUTED IN WESTERN IRAN OVER MURDER CHARGES
According to IRIB News Agency, on the morning of September 26 the execution of a prisoner who was charged with murder was carried out at Yasuj Central Prison.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE PRISONER HANGED IN URMIA CENTRAL PRISON
According to a close source, on the morning the execution sentence of a prisoner who was charged with murder was carried out at Urmia Central Prison. The prisoner was identified as Javad Khayyeri from ward 15.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 74-YEAR-OLD SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HOSTING 'MIXED AND HALF-NAKED PARTIES'
Iran has sentenced a 74-year-old man to death for hosting “mixed and half-naked parties”, the head of Tehran’s judiciary said.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EXECUTION OF A PRISONER IN URMIA
According to a close source, a prisoner, named Moslem Tamrkhani from ward 2 of mental ward, was executed at Urmia Central Prison.
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR RAPE, MURDER OF 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A man was hanged in front of cheering crowds in Iran after being convicted of the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl which had outraged the nation.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AN UNIDENTIFIED MAN WAS HANGED IN PUBLIC ON MURDER CHARGES
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED ON DRUG-RELATED CHARGES IN QAZVIN PRISON
Two prisoners were hanged on drug-related charges at Choubidar Prison of Qazvin. The prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in Qazvin prison a day before their execution.
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EXECUTION OF TWO PRISONERS IN ARDEBIL
Shahin Parsajou, 23, and a 40-year-old man were executed on morning in Ardebil Prison.
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED IN TABRIZ CENTRAL PRISON
Three prisoners charged with murder were executed in the Tabriz Central Prison.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED WHILE CROWD WATCHED
A prisoner by the name of Samir Deivband was hanged in public in the city of Ilam in front of a crowd of people.
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC IN SALMAS COUNTY
A prisoner was hanged in public in Salmas County (West Azerbaijan) in front of a crowd of people.
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONERS HANGED IN PUBLIC WHILE CROWD WATCHED
A prisoner was hanged in public in the city of Eslamabad-e Gharb (Kermanshah province) on murder charges.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN PUBLICLY HANGED IN KERMAN
The public and revolutionary prosecutor of Anbarabad announced that a man was publicly hanged on Septem
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: AT LEAST TWO PRISONERS HANGED ON DRUG CHARGES
At least two prisoners were reportedly hanged at Ardabil Central Prison on drug related charges.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: UNIDENTIFIED PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC ON MURDER CHARGES
An unidentified prisoner was hanged at 22 Bahman Square in the city of Ilam in front of a crowd of people.
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN RE-IMPOSES DEATH SENTENCE ON SPIRITUAL FIGURE THAT SUPREME COURT QUASHED
An Iranian court has re-imposed the death penalty on the founder of a spiritual movement after the first sentence was struck down by the supreme court, the judiciary said.
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS FLOGGED BEFORE BEING EXECUTED
Two prisoners were hanged in central prison of Tabriz, northwestern Iran.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED FOR MURDER
A prisoner was reportedly hanged at Ardabil Central Prison on murder charges.