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
AUGUST 21, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PUBLIC HANGINGS
AUGUST 18, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ELEVEN PEOPLE HANGED IN KARAJ, A MAN EXECUTED IN PUBLIC IN MIANEH
- AUGUST 13, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR PRISONERS HANGED IN TWO DIFFERENT IRANIAN PRISONS
AUGUST 12, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: A 22-YEAR OLD MAN HANGED IN BIRJAND
- AUGUST 9, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED IN KARAJ
AUGUST 7, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO MEN HANGED IN PUBLIC
Two men were publicly hanged in the city of Kermanshah (Western Iran), reported the Iranian state media.
AUGUST 7, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AT LEAST NINE PRISONERS EXECUTED IN RASHT AND ZAHEDAN, INCLUDING A JUVENILE OFFENDER HANGED ALONG WITH HIS MOTHER
AUGUST 6, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SIX PRISONERS EXECUTED IN SHIRAZ AND KARAJ
Six prisoners were hanged in the cities of Shiraz and Karaj, Iran.
AUGUST 3, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PUBLIC EXECUTIONS IN SHIRAZ
Three prisoners were hanged in public in the city of Shiraz (Southern Iran), reported the Iranian state media.
JULY 23, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 10 PRISONERS INCLUDING 4 WOMEN HANGED
Iran hanged at least 10 prisoners including four women last Sunday (July 20) and Monday (July 21).
JULY 21, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 32-YEAR-OLD DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO DEATH BY STONING
A local court in Iran’s northern Mazandaran Province sentenced a 32-year-old defendant to death by
JUNE 27, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 13 PRISONERS HANGED IN KARAJ
Thirteen prisoners were hanged between 25 and 26 June in two prisons of Karaj.
- JUNE 26, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
eleven men were hanged in Ghezelhesar prison of Karaj, reported the National Council of Resistance of
eleven men were hanged in Ghezelhesar prison of Karaj, reported the National Council of Resistance of
- JUNE 25, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
Two prisoners were executed in the prison of Rajaishahr, in Karaj, Iran Human Rights
Two prisoners were executed in the prison of Rajaishahr, in Karaj, Iran Human Rights
- JUNE 25, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 10 PRISONERS HANGED IN URUMIEH PRISON
Ten prisoners were hanged in the city of Urumieh, in northwestern Iran.
JUNE 23, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN PRISONERS EXECUTED FOR DRUG-RELATED CHARGES
Seven prisoners were hanged in the prison of Rasht (Northern Iran) reported the official website of the
JUNE 19, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EIGHT MORE PRISONERS HANGED IN BIRJAND AND YAZD
Eight prisoners were executed in two Iranian prisons. Five of them were executed on charge of drug
- JUNE 15, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
a prisoner identified only as H. J. was executed for drug trafficking in the prison of Shahr Kord, Jahanbin
a prisoner identified only as H. J. was executed for drug trafficking in the prison of Shahr Kord, Jahanbin
JUNE 14, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TEN PRISONERS HANGED ON FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF HASSAN ROUHANI'S PRESIDENCY
The Iranian regime's henchmen hanged at least ten imamates in a prison in northwestern city of Uromiyeh on
JUNE 13, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EIGHT PRISONERS HANGED IN THREE PRISONS
Eight prisoners were hanged in three Iranian cities between 7 and 10 June, reported the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).
- JUNE 12, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
a prisoner identified only as A. N. was hanged for murder in the prison of Zanjan, reported the Iranian
a prisoner identified only as A. N. was hanged for murder in the prison of Zanjan, reported the Iranian
- JUNE 12, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
two prisoners – Ali Chebishat, 48, and Seyyed Khald Mousavi, 35 – were hanged for Moharebeh in
two prisoners – Ali Chebishat, 48, and Seyyed Khald Mousavi, 35 – were hanged for Moharebeh in
JUNE 12, 2014IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO AHWAZI ARAB ACTIVISTS EXECUTED
Iran Human Rights reported that two Ahwazi Arab prisoners, Ali Chebeishat and Sayed Khaled Mousavi,
- JUNE 11, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 3 PRISONERS HANGED IN RAJAI SHAHR
three prisoners were hanged on charge of murder in the Rajai Shahr Prison of Karaj. Two of them were
- JUNE 11, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED
Three prisoners were hanged in three different Iranian prisons.
- JUNE 10, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the state run Iranian news agency Mehr, a prisoner identified as Abbas M
According to the state run Iranian news agency Mehr, a prisoner identified as Abbas M
- JUNE 10, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
A prisoner was hanged in the main prison in the city of Zahedan.
A prisoner was hanged in the main prison in the city of Zahedan.
- JUNE 10, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
a 23-year-old juvenile offender, identified as Amir Sardhaee, was hanged in the central prison of Tabriz for
a 23-year-old juvenile offender, identified as Amir Sardhaee, was hanged in the central prison of Tabriz for
- JUNE 9, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
According to reliable sources Iran Human Rights (IHR) has been in contact with, a prisoner
According to reliable sources Iran Human Rights (IHR) has been in contact with, a prisoner
- JUNE 9, 2014IranDEATH PENALTY
a prisoner identified as Yasin Kord, 30, was executed for murder in the prison of Zahedan, Human Rights
a prisoner identified as Yasin Kord, 30, was executed for murder in the prison of Zahedan, Human Rights