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 22, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
The Iranian regime hanged five prisoners including a 68 year-old man in Gohardasht prison in city of Karaj.
The Iranian regime hanged five prisoners including a 68 year-old man in Gohardasht prison in city of Karaj.
- APRIL 21, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
A 24 year-old man was hanged in the main prison in north-eastern city of Mashhad, Iran, state-run daily
A 24 year-old man was hanged in the main prison in north-eastern city of Mashhad, Iran, state-run daily
- APRIL 20, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
another juvenile offender was hanged in the Vakilabad prison of Mashhad, Iran Human Rights reported.
another juvenile offender was hanged in the Vakilabad prison of Mashhad, Iran Human Rights reported.
- APRIL 20, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
eleven prisoners were hanged in the Ghezel Hesar prison of Karaj, reported the
eleven prisoners were hanged in the Ghezel Hesar prison of Karaj, reported the
- APRIL 19, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
a prisoner was executed in the central prison of Zahedan on charge of carrying and storing drugs, reported
a prisoner was executed in the central prison of Zahedan on charge of carrying and storing drugs, reported
APRIL 18, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 6 AFGHANS EXECUTED
Iran executed six Afghans, an official claimed.
APRIL 17, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR PRISONERS, INCLUDING THREE JUVENILE OFFENDERS, HANGED IN BANDAR ABBAS
four prisoners, including three juvenile offenders, were hanged in the prison of Bandar Abbas, reported the
APRIL 17, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: KURDISH POLITICAL PRISONER HANGED IN KERMANSHAH
A Kurdish political prisoner identified as Samko Khorshidi was hanged in the Dizelabad prison of Kermanshah, Iran, reported the “Kurdistan Human Rights Organization”.
- APRIL 16, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER GIVEN LAST-MINUTE FORGIVENESS BY VICTIM’S FAMILY
a convicted killer was saved from public execution at the last possible moment, after the family of the victim
APRIL 16, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE PRISONER WAS HANGED IN PRISON
one prisoner was hanged in the prison of Saveh early in the morning, reported the news agency IRNA.
APRIL 13, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED IN BANDAR ABBAS PRISON
the Iranian regime hangmen in Bandar Abbas Prison hanged two men early morning, a state-run news agency reported. The two men were identified by their initials as A.M. and M.A., according to the report by Tasnimnews affiliated to the Quds Force of the Ir
APRIL 12, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FORMER MARINE ESCAPES DEATH PENALTY AFTER SENTENCE IS SECRETLY REDUCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON
A former Marine incarcerated in Iran in 2011 and sentenced to death on espionage charges was secretly
- APRIL 12, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: ANOTHER MAN SENTENCED TO HAVE EYES GOUGED OUT
the regime's judiciary in the city of Isfahan condemned another man to have his eyes gouged, state-run news
- APRIL 8, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: ONE PRISONER HANGED IN ARDEBIL
One prisoner was hanged in the prison of Ardebil (Northwestern Iran) early in the morning, reported the
- MARCH 19, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN AGAINST ABOLITION OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR DRUG SMUGGLERS
Minister of Interior Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said Iran is against abolishing the death penalty for drugs smugglers, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported.
MARCH 18, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SAKINEH FREED AFTER 9 YEARS ON DEATH ROW
the Iranian regime announced that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, was allowed to leave prison after almost nine years on death row.
- MARCH 16, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: INMATE HANGED IN SEMNAN
one prisoner was hanged in the prison of Semnan early in the morning, the official website of the Iranian
MARCH 12, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 331 PEOPLE EXECUTED FOR DRUGS OFFENCES IN 2013 WITH UN AND EUROPEAN SUPPORT
Iran executed 331 people for drug-related charges in 2013, a new report published today by the non-profit
MARCH 12, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: UNITED NATIONS, ‘AT LEAST 176 PEOPLE HANGED IN 2014’
four United Nations experts on human rights – Ahmed Shaheed, Special Rapporteur on the situation of
MARCH 11, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: U.N. ANTI-DRUGS CHIEF PRAISES IRAN FIGHT DESPITE EXECUTIONS
the U.N. anti-drugs chief praised Iran's fight against narcotics trafficking despite a surge in executions in the country, many of people convicted of drug-related offences.
MARCH 11, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: BAN KI-MOON, ‘NO SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT UNDER PRESIDENT ROUHANI’
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has failed to fulfil campaign promises to allow greater freedom of expression and there has been a sharp rise in executions since his election.
- MARCH 11, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: AN AFGHANI PRISONER EXECUTED IN RAJAI SHAHR PRISON
an Afghani prisoner was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, reported the Human Rights Activists
MARCH 10, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED IN MASHHAD
One man was hanged in the central prison of Mashhad (Northern Iran) reported the daily newspaper
MARCH 8, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR MORE PUBLIC EXECUTIONS IN BANDAR ABBAS
four men were hanged in the Shahnaz Street of Bandar Abbas early in the morning, reported the news
- MARCH 7, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
WORLD SHOULD THANK IRAN FOR HIGH EXECUTION RATE, SAYS TEHRAN OFFICIAL
The Islamic republic's execution rate, which has soared to ghastly heights since self-described moderate Hassan Rouhani became president last year, should be viewed as a “positive marker of Iranian achievement,” according to the head of Iran’s Judiciary H
- MARCH 4, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
Farzaneh (Razieh) Moradi, a 26 year old woman convicted of murdering
Farzaneh (Razieh) Moradi, a 26 year old woman convicted of murdering her husband six years earlier, was hanged in the prison of Isfahan, Iran.
- MARCH 3, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
two men, aged 28 and 30, were hanged in Rasht’s central prison on charges of “Unlawful Acts Against
two men, aged 28 and 30, were hanged in Rasht’s central prison on charges of “Unlawful Acts Against
- MARCH 3, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
a young man who was charged with murder was hanged in the city of Jouybar in Mazandaran Province,
a young man who was charged with murder was hanged in the city of Jouybar in Mazandaran Province,
- MARCH 3, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: DEATH PENALTY, BUT NOT ONLY
An Iranian highest court approved the sentence of a young man to have his eyes gouged and his right ear
- MARCH 2, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
four prisoners were hanged in Bandar Abbas for drug trafficking, reported the official website of the Iranian
four prisoners were hanged in Bandar Abbas for drug trafficking, reported the official website of the Iranian