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
- APRIL 17, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran's fundamentalist regime hanged four prisoners in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, central Iran
Iran's fundamentalist regime hanged four prisoners in Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, central Iran
APRIL 17, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED IN MASHHAD
Iran's regime hanged two more prisoners, this time in the Central Prison in Mashhad, north-east Iran. The
- APRIL 16, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED IN GILAN PROVINCE
three prisoners were hanged at Lakan Rasht Prison, according to a report by the press department of the
- APRIL 14, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
UN: ZEID CALLS FOR AN END TO EXECUTIONS FOR DRUG OFFENCES IN IRAN
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein appealed to Iran to halt executions for
APRIL 14, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 3 WOMEN EXECUTED ON THE SAME DAY
Three women were executed on the same day in Iran.
APRIL 13, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EIGHT PRISONERS HANGED AT RAJAI SHAHR PRISON
Iran collectively hanged eight prisoners in Gohardasht (Rajai Shahr) Prison in Karaj.
APRIL 9, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE HANGED ON DRUG CHARGES
Five prisoners were reportedly hanged at Rasht's Lakan Prison (in the province of Gilan, northern Iran) on
APRIL 1, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ANOTHER JUVENILE OFFENDER IN SANANDAJ PRISON SENTENCED TO DEATH
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a juvenile offender (K.N) imprisoned at Sanandaj Prison, who at the time of crime was 17 years and 9 months old, was sentenced to death by retaliation in kind (Qisas) for murder.
MARCH 6, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: BILLIONAIRE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN GRAFT CASE
A court in Iran has sentenced to death Iranian businessman Babak Zanjani and two accomplices for
MARCH 2, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SUPREME COURT CONFIRMS 100 DEATH SENTENCES FOR GHEZEL HESAR PRISONERS
At least 100 prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison (in Karaj, northern Iran) are in imminent danger of execution after their death sentences for drug offenses were reportedly confirmed in the last month by Iran's Supreme Court.
- FEBRUARY 20, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THE SUPREME COURT CONFIRMS THE DEATH SENTENCE OF A JUVENILE OFFENDER
The death sentence of Himan Ouraminejad who was charged with murder as a juvenile, has been confirmed in the Supreme Court and is waiting for the permission of head of judiciary to be executed.
FEBRUARY 1, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 2 BALUCHI JUVENILE OFFENDERS EXECUTED
According to close sources, 2 Baluchi prisoners were hanged to death at Yazd Central Prison on drug
- JANUARY 24, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO HANGED FOR MURDER IN YASUJ AND KERMANSHAH
Two unidentified prisoners were hanged by Iranian authorities.
JANUARY 18, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 4 JUVENILE OFFENDERS EXECUTED IN SANANDAJ PRISON
Four juveniles have been hanged in Sanandaj prison, Iran.
- JANUARY 16, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
Gilan Judiciary's press department reported on the execution of four prisoners at Lakan, Rasht's central
Gilan Judiciary's press department reported on the execution of four prisoners at Lakan, Rasht's central
- JANUARY 14, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran state run media, Ashkezar News, reported on the execution of one prisoner in the morning
Iran state run media, Ashkezar News, reported on the execution of one prisoner in the morning
- JANUARY 14, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SIX PRISONERS HANGED IN ORUMIYEH
Six prisoners were executed by hanging for murder charges at Orumiyeh prison in Iran, local human rights
- JANUARY 13, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the human rights group, HRANA, a prisoner, identified as Houshang Zare, was hanged at
According to the human rights group, HRANA, a prisoner, identified as Houshang Zare, was hanged at
- JANUARY 12, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the human rights group HRANA, four prisoners were hanged at Karaj's central prison
According to the human rights group HRANA, four prisoners were hanged at Karaj's central prison
JANUARY 12, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 1,084 PEOPLE EXECUTED IN 2015
Iran again led the globe in the number of state-sanctioned executions in 2015, killing 1,084 people, which marks the highest rate of executions in the country in 25 years, according to statistics compiled by human rights and advocacy organizations.
JANUARY 10, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN PRISONERS HANGED
seven prisoners were hanged in different prisons in Iran.
JANUARY 7, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: YOUNG PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC IN EAST AZERBAIJAN
Late morning a prisoner was hanged in public on murder charges in the Iranian province of East Azerbaijan.
- JANUARY 6, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: NINE PRISONERS HANGED IN PRISONS
The mullahs’ regime hanged at least nine people in prisons across Iran.
JANUARY 4, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 50-YEAR-OLD MAN HANGED IN NOSHAHR
The mullahs’ regime hanged an unnamed 50-year-old man in a prison in the port city of Noshahr, northern
- JANUARY 1, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
In accordance with Article 4 of the Iranian Constitution...
In accordance with Article 4 of the Iranian Constitution...
- DECEMBER 31, 2015IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 8 PRISONERS HANGED AT TABRIZ, MASHHAD
six prisoners were reportedly hanged at Tabriz Central Prison (northern Iran) on drug charges and two
- DECEMBER 28, 2015IranDEATH PENALTY
two prisoners were reportedly hanged at Rasht's Lakan Prison on drug related charges. The press
two prisoners were reportedly hanged at Rasht's Lakan Prison on drug related charges. The press
DECEMBER 26, 2015IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE HANGED IN KHORRAMABAD
Iran's fundamentalist regime hanged three men in a prison in Khorramabad, western Iran.
DECEMBER 23, 2015IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 2 PRISONERS HANGED IN GHEZELHESAR PRISON IN KARAJ
According to the report of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA), two prisoners, who had been
DECEMBER 22, 2015IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 8 MEN HANGED ON DRUG CHARGES
Eight men with alleged drug charges were reportedly hanged at Qazvin Central Prison in the morning.