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
SEPTEMBER 28, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EXECUTION OF A PRISONER IN KERMAN
According to a report by ISNA and the deputy of Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office for Central Kerman Province, a prisoner who was charged with murder was hanged at Kerman prison.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE PRISONER HANGED IN URMIA CENTRAL PRISON
According to a close source, on the morning the execution sentence of a prisoner who was charged with murder was carried out at Urmia Central Prison. The prisoner was identified as Javad Khayyeri from ward 15.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 74-YEAR-OLD SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HOSTING 'MIXED AND HALF-NAKED PARTIES'
Iran has sentenced a 74-year-old man to death for hosting “mixed and half-naked parties”, the head of Tehran’s judiciary said.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EXECUTION OF A PRISONER IN URMIA
According to a close source, a prisoner, named Moslem Tamrkhani from ward 2 of mental ward, was executed at Urmia Central Prison.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYMAN EXECUTED IN WESTERN IRAN OVER MURDER CHARGES
According to IRIB News Agency, on the morning of September 26 the execution of a prisoner who was charged with murder was carried out at Yasuj Central Prison.
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: AN UNIDENTIFIED MAN WAS HANGED IN PUBLIC ON MURDER CHARGES
SEPTEMBER 20, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED ON DRUG-RELATED CHARGES IN QAZVIN PRISON
Two prisoners were hanged on drug-related charges at Choubidar Prison of Qazvin. The prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in Qazvin prison a day before their execution.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR RAPE, MURDER OF 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A man was hanged in front of cheering crowds in Iran after being convicted of the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl which had outraged the nation.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EXECUTION OF TWO PRISONERS IN ARDEBIL
Shahin Parsajou, 23, and a 40-year-old man were executed on morning in Ardebil Prison.
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED IN TABRIZ CENTRAL PRISON
Three prisoners charged with murder were executed in the Tabriz Central Prison.
SEPTEMBER 17, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER HANGED WHILE CROWD WATCHED
A prisoner by the name of Samir Deivband was hanged in public in the city of Ilam in front of a crowd of people.
- SEPTEMBER 14, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC IN SALMAS COUNTY
A prisoner was hanged in public in Salmas County (West Azerbaijan) in front of a crowd of people.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONERS HANGED IN PUBLIC WHILE CROWD WATCHED
A prisoner was hanged in public in the city of Eslamabad-e Gharb (Kermanshah province) on murder charges.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN PUBLICLY HANGED IN KERMAN
The public and revolutionary prosecutor of Anbarabad announced that a man was publicly hanged on Septem
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: AT LEAST TWO PRISONERS HANGED ON DRUG CHARGES
At least two prisoners were reportedly hanged at Ardabil Central Prison on drug related charges.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: UNIDENTIFIED PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC ON MURDER CHARGES
An unidentified prisoner was hanged at 22 Bahman Square in the city of Ilam in front of a crowd of people.
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS FLOGGED BEFORE BEING EXECUTED
Two prisoners were hanged in central prison of Tabriz, northwestern Iran.
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED FOR MURDER
A prisoner was reportedly hanged at Ardabil Central Prison on murder charges.
- SEPTEMBER 3, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN RE-IMPOSES DEATH SENTENCE ON SPIRITUAL FIGURE THAT SUPREME COURT QUASHED
An Iranian court has re-imposed the death penalty on the founder of a spiritual movement after the first sentence was struck down by the supreme court, the judiciary said.
- AUGUST 31, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: UNIDENTIFIED PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC
An unidentified prisoner who was sentenced to death on the charge of "raping a married woman" was hanged in public on the morning in Bandar Abbas while a crowd of people watched, according to a report by the state-run news agency, Mehr.
- AUGUST 28, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN CHARGED WITH RAPE HANGED IN RAJAI SHAHR PRISON
Prison authorities in Rajai Shahr break routine and execute a prisoner on a Monday rather than the usual Wednesday.
AUGUST 27, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: HANDS OFF CAIN ASKS THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT TO LISTEN TO THE REASONS OF POLITICAL PRISONERS ON A HUNGER STRIKE FOR THE INHUMANE CONDITIONS OF DETENTION IN KARAJ PRISON
Hands off Cain joins international mobilization in support of the reasons of the political prisoners of Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, a hunger strike of 27 days, and asks the Italian Government to act to ensure that their human rights are respected.
AUGUST 23, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SUNNI PRISONER HANGED ON MOHAREBEH CHARGE
Sunni prisoner Seyed Jamal Seyed Mousavi was reportedly hanged at Karaj's Rajai Shahr Prison on Wednesday August 23, but his famliy did not find out until Sunday August 27.
- AUGUST 10, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: BRUTAL EXECUTION OF A YOUNG PRISONER WHO WAS 15 YEARS OLD WHEN ARRESTED
In the early morning of August 10, the mullahs’ regime once again executed a teenager.
- AUGUST 1, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PRISONER HANGED IN PUBLIC IN FRONT OF LARGE CROWD
A prisoner by the name of Hossein Sarooki was hanged in public in the city of Juybar on murder charges.
- JULY 25, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED AT ZANJAN CENRAL PRISON
According to close sources, two prisoners were executed on the morning at Zanjan Central Prison on drug related charges.
- JULY 24, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE INMATES INCLUDING AFGHAN CITIZEN EXECUTED ON DRUG CHARGES
Three prisoners, including an Afghan citizen, were reportedly hanged at Isfahan Central Prison on drug related charges. According to close sources, the executions were carried out on the morning of July 24.
JULY 22, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED
JULY 17, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR PRISONERS EXECUTED ON DRUG, ARMED ROBBERY CHARGES
According to close sources, on the morning four prisoners were hanged at Isfahan Central Prison.
- JULY 16, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MPS APPROVE GENERALITIES OF BILL TO REDUCE DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUG OFFENCES
The Iranian parliament approved general outlines of a bill to reduce death penalty for drug offences in the country.