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
MARCH 5, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: KURDISH PRISONER HANGED AT CHOOBIDAR PRISON IN QAZVIN
Ali Shakouri, a resident of the Tarzilloo village in Orumiyeh, was executed at Choobidar prison in Qazvin on 11 February 2019.
- MARCH 3, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Nour Eddin Salami was hanged at Zanjan Prison on March 3.
IRAN - Nour Eddin Salami was hanged at Zanjan Prison on March 3.
- FEBRUARY 24, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ghafour Gari was hung in public in the city of Aq Qala on Feb. 24.
IRAN - Ghafour Gari was hung in public in the city of Aq Qala on Feb. 24.
- FEBRUARY 23, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mojtaba Mirzadeh was executed at Shirvan Prison on Feb. 23.
IRAN - Mojtaba Mirzadeh was executed at Shirvan Prison on Feb. 23.
- FEBRUARY 23, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Soheil Haji was executed at Shirvan Prison on Feb. 23.
IRAN - Soheil Haji was executed at Shirvan Prison on Feb. 23.
FEBRUARY 19, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE INMATES EXECUTED IN RAJA’I SHAHR AND ARDEBIL PRISONS
At least three prisoners were executed on 13 February 2019 in Raja’i Shahr and Ardebil Prisons.
FEBRUARY 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SECRET EXECUTIONS AT RAJAI SHAHR PRISON
According to Iran Human Rights sources, two prisoners were executed secretly on the morning of 30 January 2019 at Rajai Shahr prison. IHR could not yet identify them by name.
- FEBRUARY 14, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Milad Darzadeh was hanged at Iranshahr Prison on Feb. 14.
IRAN - Milad Darzadeh was hanged at Iranshahr Prison on Feb. 14.
- FEBRUARY 14, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Reza Sarani was hanged at the Zahedan Prison on Feb. 14.
IRAN - Reza Sarani was hanged at the Zahedan Prison on Feb. 14.
- FEBRUARY 8, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES AT TABRIZ CENTRAL PRISON
A prisoner was executed on murder charges at Tabriz Central Prison on 29 January 2019 morning. He was transferred to a solitary confinement cell on 28 January.
- FEBRUARY 1, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: WOMAN HANGED IN NOWSHAHR IS THE 87TH EXECUTED UNDER ROUHANI
A woman only identified as M.A. was hanged on 30 January 2019 morning in the Prison of Nowshahr, in the northern Iranian province of Mazandaran.
JANUARY 30, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED AT AHVAZ PRISON
According to IHR sources, on the morning of 22 January 2019 a man identified as Rahman Jasemi Zargani was executed at Sepidar (also known as Qods) prison in Ahvaz.
- JANUARY 30, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Tabib Rouzmehr was hanged at Quchan prison on Jan. 30.
IRAN - Tabib Rouzmehr was hanged at Quchan prison on Jan. 30.
- JANUARY 30, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mehdi Kouhkhani and another unknown prisoner were hanged on January 30 at Rajai Shahr prison.
IRAN - Mehdi Kouhkhani and another unknown prisoner were hanged on January 30 at Rajai Shahr prison.
- JANUARY 30, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A woman, identified only as M. A., was hanged on January 30 in Nowshahr prison.
IRAN - A woman, identified only as M. A., was hanged on January 30 in Nowshahr prison.
- JANUARY 29, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED AT TABAS PRISON
According to Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), on the morning of 24 January 2019 a prisoner was hanged at the prison of Tabas, South Khorasan Province, Iran.
- JANUARY 29, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - A man (unidentified) was executed at the Nur Prison on Jan. 29.
IRAN - A man (unidentified) was executed at the Nur Prison on Jan. 29.
- JANUARY 29, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Omran Gholam Khosravi was hanged on Jan. 29 at Maragheh Central Prison.
IRAN - Omran Gholam Khosravi was hanged on Jan. 29 at Maragheh Central Prison.
- JANUARY 27, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 2,300 children in prison with mothers, and 1800 entrusted to social services after completing 2 years of age.
IRAN - 2,300 children in prison with mothers, and 1800 entrusted to social services after completing 2 years of age.
- JANUARY 23, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Amir Nosrath Khah was executed at the Zanjan Prison on 23 January.
IRAN - Amir Nosrath Khah was executed at the Zanjan Prison on 23 January.
JANUARY 21, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN PUBLICLY EXECUTED ON SODOMY CHARGES
A man was hanged by Iran on 10 January 2019 in the southwestern city of Kazeroon, the state-run ISNA news agency reported.
JANUARY 18, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC, CHILDREN WATCHED
A prisoner on 15 January 2019 was hanged in Public at a square in Falavarjan City, Isfahan Province, in Iran. He was sentenced to death for murder and rape charges.
- JANUARY 16, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC
A prisoner was hanged in Public at a square in the southern Iranian city of Kazerun, Iran Human Rights reported on 10 January 2019.
- JANUARY 16, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - An unidentified man was hanghed on Jan. 16 at Mati Kola Prison
IRAN - An unidentified man was hanghed on Jan. 16 at Mati Kola Prison
- JANUARY 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE MEN PUBLICLY EXECUTED FOR ARMED ROBBERY
Iran on 13 January 2019 hanged three men sentenced to death for armed robbery, all of them executed in public in front of a crowd of onlookers, Iranian judiciary’s website Mizan reported.
- JANUARY 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Farhard Akbari was executed on January 15, 2019 at the Ilam Central Prison.
IRAN - Farhard Akbari was executed on January 15, 2019 at the Ilam Central Prison.
- JANUARY 15, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Massoud Nazeri was executed on January 15 at the Ilam Central Prison.
IRAN - Massoud Nazeri was executed on January 15 at the Ilam Central Prison.
JANUARY 14, 2019IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 12 MEN HANGED FOR MURDER CHARGES
According to the IHR sources, on the morning of 9 January 2019 at least 12 prisoners were executed at Karaj city’s Rajai Shahr prison for murder charges.
- JANUARY 11, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 12 EXECUTED ON DRUG CHARGES
Twelve imprisoned drug offenders on 6 December 2018 were executed in the Central Prison of Kerman, South-Eastern Iran.
- JANUARY 9, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 12 prisoners were hanged at the Rajai Shahr prison on Jan. 9.
IRAN - 12 prisoners were hanged at the Rajai Shahr prison on Jan. 9.