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
DECEMBER 14, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED FOR MURDER
Two inmates were hanged in Iran, including one in public in Khoy.
DECEMBER 13, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: HANDS OFF CAIN, APPEAL TO GOVERNMENT TO STOP THE EXECUTION OF DJALALI
On the confirmation of the death sentence of Iranian researcher Ahmadreza Djalali with allegations of espionage by the Supreme Court, Hands Off Cain demands Italy to take a strong stand.
DECEMBER 12, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PUBLIC HANGING IN ISFAHAN
Two people were executed publicly in Isfahan this morning on charges of killing a police officer.
DECEMBER 11, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SIX INMATES HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES
Six inmates were hanged on murder charges in Iran, in two different prisons.
DECEMBER 11, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES
According to the state-run news agency, Fars, on the morning a prisoner was hanged at Sari Centrals Prison on murder charges.
- DECEMBER 10, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: INMATE EXECUTED FOR MURDER CHARGES
A 35-year-old inmate identified as Sayad Ahadi was hanged on the morning for murder charges in Ardabil Central Prison.
- NOVEMBER 29, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 10 PRISONERS HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES
According to a close source, ten prisoners were executed at Rajai Shahr Prison.
NOVEMBER 28, 2017IranDEATH BY PUNISHMENTIRAN: SUICIDE ON THE DEATH ROW
According to a close source, a prisoner hanged himself to death in ward 1 of Rajai Shahr Prison.
- NOVEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE EXECUTIONS IN TABRIZ
According to a report by HRANA News Agency, on the morning three prisoners were executed at Tabriz Central Prison (Northwestern Iran). The prisoners were sentenced to death on murder charges.
- NOVEMBER 22, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EXECUTION IN KARAJ
According to a close source, a prisoner was executed at Rajai Shahr Prison charged with Moharebeh (waging war against God).
NOVEMBER 22, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE EXECUTED IN TABRIZ
According to a report by HRANA News Agency which is also confirmed by Iran Human Rights (IHR), on the morning three prisoners were executed at Tabriz Central Prison on murder charges.
NOVEMBER 18, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES
According to a close source, a prisoner was hanged on the morning at Ilam Central Prison.
- NOVEMBER 13, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EXECUTION IN BANDAR ABBAS
According to a close source, on the morning a prisoner was executed at Bandar Abbas Central Prison.
- NOVEMBER 13, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC
According to the human rights news agency, HRANA, on the morning a prisoner was hanged in public in Babol (a city in Mazandaran Province).
NOVEMBER 8, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO KURDISH POLITICAL PRISONERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
The Urmia department of the Islamic Revolutionary Court issued death sentence for Kurdish political prisoners Diyako Resulzade and Sabîr Şêx Ebdullah on alleged charges of “enmity against God” and “membership to Kurdish parties”.
NOVEMBER 7, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR PRISONERS EXECUTED FOR DRUG OFFENCES
According to a close source, on the morning four prisoners were executed at Urmia Central Prison (Darya).
- NOVEMBER 6, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EXECUTION IN MASHHAD
According to a report by Khorasan Newspaper, on the morning of November 1, a prisoner was hanged at Mashhad Central Prison (Vakilabad) on murder charges.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: A PRISONER HANGED ON MURDER CHARGES AT ORUMIYEH CENTRAL PRISON
A death row prisoner was executed on murder charges in the central prison of Orumiyeh.
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 PENALTY
IRAN: 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 PENALTY
IRAN: 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 PENALTY
IRAN: 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 23, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: HANDS OFF CAIN, THE DEATH PENALTY AT DJALALI CONFIRMS THE OBSCURANTIST NATURE OF THE REGIME
About the death sentence of Ahmadreza Djalali, the Iranian physician who worked in Italy at the CRIMEDIM in Novara (Research Center in Emergency and Disaster Medicine) and was arrested in Tehran in April 2016 on charges of being a spy, Hands off Cain said
- OCTOBER 14, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 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 PENALTY
IRAN: 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.