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
- 9,162
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 9,162 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
APRIL 29, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT KERMANSHAH PRISON
According to Iran Human Rights sources, a man was hanged at Kermanshah Central Prison (known as Dizel Abad) on 18 April 2019.
- APRIL 27, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Norallah Zangane Vandi and Shayan Ebrahimi were hanged on April 27 at Dizel Abad Prison
IRAN - Norallah Zangane Vandi and Shayan Ebrahimi were hanged on April 27 at Dizel Abad Prison
- APRIL 27, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Kamal Shahbakhs hanged on April 27 at Shahab Prison, in Kerman.
IRAN - Kamal Shahbakhs hanged on April 27 at Shahab Prison, in Kerman.
- APRIL 27, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Two men, Habib and Kaveh, were executed at the Evin Prison in Tehran on April 27.
IRAN - Two men, Habib and Kaveh, were executed at the Evin Prison in Tehran on April 27.
- APRIL 27, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Dorhan Heydari and Mirhan Shah Ghasemi were hanged at the Evin Prison in Tehran on April 27.
IRAN - Dorhan Heydari and Mirhan Shah Ghasemi were hanged at the Evin Prison in Tehran on April 27.
- APRIL 25, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Two minors, Mehdi Sohrabifar and Amin Sedaghat, were executed on 25 April in Adel Abad prison.
IRAN - Two minors, Mehdi Sohrabifar and Amin Sedaghat, were executed on 25 April in Adel Abad prison.
- APRIL 24, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Two men (one identified as Alfagh) were hanged on April 24.
IRAN - Two men (one identified as Alfagh) were hanged on April 24.
- APRIL 22, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A man, identified only as Reza, was hanged on April 22 at Vakilabad Prison.
IRAN - A man, identified only as Reza, was hanged on April 22 at Vakilabad Prison.
- APRIL 18, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Vali (Wali) Zandian was hanged at the Ardabil Prison on April 18.
IRAN - Vali (Wali) Zandian was hanged at the Ardabil Prison on April 18.
- APRIL 18, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 3 men (unidentified) hung at the prison of Ilam on April 18.
IRAN - 3 men (unidentified) hung at the prison of Ilam on April 18.
APRIL 17, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED FOR DRUG OFFENSES
A man was hanged on 15 April 2019 at Dastgerd Prison in the Iranian city of Isfahan for drug charges.
- APRIL 16, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS EXECUTED IN SHIRAZ
The Iranian regime on 11 April 2019 executed two prisoners in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, south-central Iran.
- APRIL 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A man, identified only as G. M. was hanged on April 15
IRAN - A man, identified only as G. M. was hanged on April 15
APRIL 13, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT GORGAN PRISON
According to HRANA website, prisoner Davoud Mohebzadeh, 36, was hanged on 7 April 2019 at Gorgan prison.
APRIL 10, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BASED SOLELY ON QASAMEH
A woman suspected of murdering her husband was sentenced to death in Iran based solely on Qasameh, the state-run ISNA news agency reported on 8 April 2019.
- APRIL 7, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Hayyari Periods and Mehran Hazro Shah Qasemi were hanged on April 7
IRAN - Hayyari Periods and Mehran Hazro Shah Qasemi were hanged on April 7
- APRIL 4, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Kamal Shahshahr hanged on April 4 (or April 27) at Kerman Prison
IRAN - Kamal Shahshahr hanged on April 4 (or April 27) at Kerman Prison
- MARCH 28, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FATHER, SON EXECUTED ON DRUG RELATED CHARGES
MARCH 28, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Jalaluddin Mosala Nezhad was publically hanged in Jahrom
A prisoner - Jalaluddin Mosala Nezhad – on 14 March 2019 was publically hanged in Jahrom
MARCH 26, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT SHIRVAN PRISON
According to the Iran Human Rights sources, on the morning of 13 March 2019, a prisoner identified as Salman Azarpanah, was executed at Shirvan Prison. Shirvan is a city in North Khorasan Province of Iran.
- MARCH 20, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED AT ZAHEDAN PRISON
According to IHR sources, on the morning of 16 March 2019 a prisoner identified as Enayatollah Totazehi, 25, was executed at Zahedan Central Prison for murder charges.
- MARCH 20, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Reza Akbari was hanged at Zanjan prison on March 20.
IRAN - Reza Akbari was hanged at Zanjan prison on March 20.
MARCH 19, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT TABRIZ CENTRAL PRISON
According to Iran Human Rights sources, a prisoner was hanged at Tabriz Central Prison on the morning of 12 March 2019. IHR could identify the prisoner as Eslam Farsi,
- MARCH 19, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A prisoner, identified as Islam Islam, was hanged on March 19.
IRAN - A prisoner, identified as Islam Islam, was hanged on March 19.
- MARCH 18, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE MEN EXECUTED IN SOUTH KHORASAN PROVINCE
The state-run IRNA news agency on 13 March 2019 reported that three men charged with killing two armed agents of the regime, were executed in Birjand Prison, in South Khorasan province.
- MARCH 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - The Sotoudeh case
IRAN - The Sotoudeh case
- MARCH 13, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED IN URMIA
Three prisoners, identified as Naji Omarzadeh, Khalil Salehi and Hossein Ebrahimi, were hanged on 11 March 2019 in Urmia Central Prison, west of the country.
- MARCH 11, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - An unidentified man was hanged at Birjand Prison on March 11.
IRAN - An unidentified man was hanged at Birjand Prison on March 11.
MARCH 10, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ebrahim Karkije hanged at Zahedan on March 10.
The Iranian regime on 10 March 2019 hanged a prisoner in the city of Zahedan, eastern Iran. The prisoner was identified as Ebrahim Karkije, 33, married and father of two.
- MARCH 10, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - An unknown man hanged at Zahedan Prison on March 10.
IRAN - An unknown man hanged at Zahedan Prison on March 10.