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
- 9,155
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 9,155 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
NOVEMBER 27, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ANOTHER JUVENILE OFFENDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
Iran Human Rights has obtained information about an 18-year-old juvenile offender detained in Sanandaj
NOVEMBER 26, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SUPREME COURT CANCELS BILLIONAIRE’S DEATH SENTENCE
Iran’s Supreme Court has overturned death sentence of Iranian billionaire businessman Babak Zanjani, Mehr news agency reported citing an informed source.
NOVEMBER 26, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED ON DRUG CHARGES, TWO EXECUTED FOR MURDER
Three prisoners were executed in three different cities between 22 and 26 November 2016.
NOVEMBER 24, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE HANGED ON DRUG RELATED CHARGES
Iranian authorities executed five prisoners on drug related charges.
NOVEMBER 23, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR HANGED IN PUBLIC
Four men were publicly hanged in the Persian Gulf Island of Qeshm, according to the local "qeshmeazad" news website.
- NOVEMBER 13, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: NINE EXECUTED OVER DRUG CHARGES, MURDER
Iranian authorities executed at least nine prisoners today.
NOVEMBER 10, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE PUBLIC HANGING AND 5 EXECUTIONS FOR DRUG CHARGES
Six prisoners were executed in Iran today.
NOVEMBER 10, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS EXECUTED FOR MURDER, RAPE
Two prisoners have been hanged in two different Iranian cities, reported the state run Iranian media.
- NOVEMBER 9, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
Iranian State Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on the execution of a prisoner early in the morning. The prisoner
Iranian State Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on the execution of a prisoner early in the morning. The prisoner
NOVEMBER 9, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AUTHORITIES CARRY OUT 'EYE FOR AN EYE' BLINDING PUNISHMENT
Official Iranian media, including ISNA, have reported on a blinding punishment sentence carried out on November 8 in one of the prisons near Tehran.
- NOVEMBER 8, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED IN QORVEH PRISON
Two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qorveh (Iranian Kurdistan province) in the early morning.
- NOVEMBER 7, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
According to Mehr News Agency one man was hanged in the prison of Qazvin (western
According to Mehr News Agency one man was hanged in the prison of Qazvin (western
NOVEMBER 5, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE PRISONERS EXECUTED
Iranian authorities reportedly executed at least five prisoners.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, a prisoner identified as Iraj
According to the Kurdistan Human Rights Network, a prisoner identified as Iraj
NOVEMBER 1, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED ON DRUG CHARGES
Two prisoners have been executed at Salmas Prison (west Azerbaijan province, northwestern Iran) on drug related charges.
- OCTOBER 31, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
One prisoner, identified as Sami Mamadi, was executed at Salmas Prison (west Azerbaijan province,
One prisoner, identified as Sami Mamadi, was executed at Salmas Prison (west Azerbaijan province,
OCTOBER 30, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUSTICE MINISTER CALLS FOR REVISION OF DEATH PENALTY LAW
Iran's justice minister has said the country should execute fewer people and revise its death penalty laws, local media reported.
- OCTOBER 25, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FIVE PRISONERS EXECUTED ON DRUG CHARGES
Five prisoners were reportedly hanged early morning for alleged drug related offenses.
OCTOBER 24, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PEOPLE HANGED IN SHIRAZ
Three prisoners were reportedly hanged in Shiraz on kidnapping and rape charges.
OCTOBER 24, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 4 EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING, MURDER
Four prisoners were reportedly executed in Iran for drug trafficking, murder.
OCTOBER 18, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 14 PRISONERS EXECUTED ON DRUG CHARGES AT GHEZEL HESAR PRISON
According to close sources, Iranian authorities hanged 14 prisoners at Ghezel Hesar Prison in the morning.
OCTOBER 18, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PRISONER EXECUTED ON DRUG RELATED CHARGES
A prisoner sentenced to death on drug related charges was reportedly executed in the morning at Mian
OCTOBER 11, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 22-YEAR-OLD IRANIAN KURDISH WOMAN FACES IMMINENT EXECUTION AFTER GROSSLY UNFAIR TRIAL
The Iranian authorities must urgently halt their plans to execute Zeinab Sekaanvand, a 22-year-old Iranian-
OCTOBER 4, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED FOR DRUG CHARGES IN KHORRAMABAD
Two prisoners were hanged in the Parsilon Prison of Khorramabad (Lorestan Province, western Iran),
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN ARRESTED TWO WEEKS AGO HANGED IN PUBLIC
A man who was arrested about two weeks ago on murder and rape charges was hanged in public in the city of Neyshabur, in the Razavi Khorasan province (northeastern Iran).
SEPTEMBER 29, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EIGHT PRISONERS INCLUDING WOMAN EXECUTED ON DRUG CHARGES
According to a report by the unofficial news agency, HRANA, Iranian authorities hanged eight prisoners at Urmia's central prison on the morning of September 29.
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EIGHT PRISONERS EXECUTED ON MURDER AND MOHAREBEH CHARGES
Eight prisoners sentenced to death for murder and Moharebeh (enmity against God) charges were
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SEVEN PRISONERS HANGED FOR DRUG RELATED OFFENSES
Seven prisoners sentenced to death for drug related offenses were hanged at Minab’s Central Prison,
- SEPTEMBER 26, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: HANDS OFF CAIN CALLS FOR THE RELEASE OF THE ACTIVIST NARGES MOHAMMADI
With an appeal to the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Hands Off Cain asks the liberation of human rights defender Narges Mohammadi, as well as that of all persons detained in Iran for their commitment to the defense and exercise of human rights as unive
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FIVE EXECUTED ON DRUG CHARGES
Five prisoners were reportedly hanged in Iran on drug charges between September 24 and 25.