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
- JULY 23, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Aqeel Shadehi and Jalal Baba’I executed at Tabriz Prison on July 23.
IRAN - Aqeel Shadehi and Jalal Baba’I executed at Tabriz Prison on July 23.
- JULY 21, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A man, Majid Mosleh, was hanged at Kashan Central Prison on July 21.
IRAN - A man, Majid Mosleh, was hanged at Kashan Central Prison on July 21.
JULY 19, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: WOMAN HANGED IN MAHABAD PRISON FOR MURDER
A Kurdish woman named Maliheh Salehian was executed in the central prison of Mahabad on July 16, 2019.
- JULY 18, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A man, identified as Asif Khani, was hanged on July 18.
IRAN - A man, identified as Asif Khani, was hanged on July 18.
- JULY 18, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - An unidentified man was hanged on July 18.
IRAN - An unidentified man was hanged on July 18.
JULY 18, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 90TH WOMAN EXECUTED DURING ROUHANI’S TERM
A woman, Zahra Safari Moghaddam, was hanged on 17 July 2019, in the Prison of Noshahr.
- JULY 17, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A woman, Zahra Safari Moghaddam, was hanged on July 17, 2019, in the Prison of Noshahr.
IRAN - A woman, Zahra Safari Moghaddam, was hanged on July 17, 2019, in the Prison of Noshahr.
- JULY 17, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Moharram Nemati and Asgar (Akbar) Bartar were hanged at Urmia prison on July 17.
IRAN - Moharram Nemati and Asgar (Akbar) Bartar were hanged at Urmia prison on July 17.
- JULY 17, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A man, not identified, was hanged in Mahshahr on July 17
IRAN - A man, not identified, was hanged in Mahshahr on July 17
- JULY 17, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ali Lavashak, Yousef Gholizadeh, Hadi Asef and Akbar Sabbaghzadeh executed at Rajai-Shahr prison on July 17.
IRAN - Ali Lavashak, Yousef Gholizadeh, Hadi Asef and Akbar Sabbaghzadeh executed at Rajai-Shahr prison on July 17.
- JULY 16, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A man, not identified, was hanged in public in the city of Khandab on July 16.
IRAN - A man, not identified, was hanged in public in the city of Khandab on July 16.
- JULY 16, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A woman, Maliheh Salehian, was executed in the prison of Mahabad on July 16
IRAN - A woman, Maliheh Salehian, was executed in the prison of Mahabad on July 16
JULY 16, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR HANGED AT URMIA PRISON FOR MURDER
Himan Bonavand, Jafar Mohammadi, Mohammad Aref Najafian, and Mahmoud Khaledi were executed at Urmia Prison on 15 July 2019.
JULY 16, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT MAHABAD PRISON
Veis Alipour was hanged at Mahabad Prison (in Mahabad, West Azerbaijan Province) on 9 July 2019.
- JULY 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Himan Bonavand, Jafar Mohammadi, Mohammad Aref Najafian, and Mahmoud Khaledi executed at Urmia Prison on July 15.
IRAN - Himan Bonavand, Jafar Mohammadi, Mohammad Aref Najafian, and Mahmoud Khaledi executed at Urmia Prison on July 15.
JULY 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN TO SELL ORGANS OF DEATH ROW INMATES
The organs of death row prisoners in Iran could be pre-sold to buyers under a new law that is heavily condemned by Iran’s Association of Surgeons.
JULY 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT ZANJAN PRISON FOR MURDER
According to Iran Human Rights sources, on the morning of 8 July 2019 a man was hanged at Zanjan prison.
- JULY 14, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ali Karimi, Mohammad Parvaei and Amirali Shadabi were hanged at Minab prison on July 14.
IRAN - Ali Karimi, Mohammad Parvaei and Amirali Shadabi were hanged at Minab prison on July 14.
- JULY 9, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Veis Alipour hanged at Mahabad Prison on July 9.
IRAN - Veis Alipour hanged at Mahabad Prison on July 9.
- JULY 8, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mostafa Shiri hanged at Zanjan prison on July 8.
IRAN - Mostafa Shiri hanged at Zanjan prison on July 8.
- JULY 7, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Iran to Sell Organs of Death Row Inmates.
IRAN - Iran to Sell Organs of Death Row Inmates.
- JULY 4, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A man (unidentified) was executed at Birjand prison on July 4.
IRAN - A man (unidentified) was executed at Birjand prison on July 4.
JULY 4, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AT LEAST 110 EXECUTED AT THE FIRST HALF OF 2019
According to the Iran Human Rights statistic department, at least 110 people have been executed between January 1 and June 30, 2019, in Iran.
- JULY 3, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mehdi Assadi and Hassan Baradaran hanged at Rajai-Shahr prison on July 3.
IRAN - Mehdi Assadi and Hassan Baradaran hanged at Rajai-Shahr prison on July 3.
- JULY 3, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Majid Sadr was hanged at Kashan prison on July 3.
IRAN - Majid Sadr was hanged at Kashan prison on July 3.
- JULY 3, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED AT RAJAI-SHAHR PRISON FOR MURDER
Mehdi Assadi and Hassan Baradaran were hanged at Rajai-Shahr prison on 3 July 2019.
JULY 2, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED IN BANDAR ABBAS FOR MURDER
According to IHR sources, on the early morning of 30 June 2019 a man was hanged at Tohid Prison in Bandar Abbas.
- JULY 2, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - At Least 110 Executed at the First Half of 2019.
IRAN - At Least 110 Executed at the First Half of 2019.
JULY 1, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SOGHRA KHALILI, MOTHER OF 4-YEAR-OLD SON, SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SANANDAJ
The death penalty of Soghra Khalil was upheld on 24 June 2019.
- JUNE 30, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Sohrab Tajmehr hanged at Bandar Abbas prison on June 30.
IRAN - Sohrab Tajmehr hanged at Bandar Abbas prison on June 30.