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
- 8,611
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 8,611 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 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SAKINEH MOHAMMADI ASHTIANI SUBJECTED TO MOCK EXECUTION
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning, was told on August 28 that she was to be hanged at dawn the day after, but the sentence was not carried out, it emerged tonight.
AUGUST 25, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: HUNDREDS POSSIBLY EXECUTED IN MASHHAD
According to unofficial reports from several sources in Iran several hundred prisoners
AUGUST 22, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged Akbar Z., 33, and Hamidreza H., 28, and Afghanistan national Shah S., 38, in a
- AUGUST 19, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: WOMAN RECIEVES DEATH SENTENCE FOR DEMONSTRATION PHOTOGRAPHY
Farah Vazehan, a female political prisoner arrested in the December 27 demonstrations in 2009 in Iran received a death sentence, according to “Human Rights Activist in Iran” weblog. Vazehan charged with sending a demonstration photo abroad to an oppositio
AUGUST 11, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE MEN HANGED IN PUBLIC
Iran publicly hanged three men in the western city of Azna, in the province of Lorestan.
- AUGUST 7, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
FIVE PEOPLE EXECUTED IN IRAN
five people were hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz early in the morning, reported the state run Iranian news agency FARS.
- AUGUST 3, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN SENTENCES NINE PEOPLE ACCUSED OF DRUG SMUGGLING
nine people accused of drug smuggling were sentenced to death in Iran's Kirman Province, Mehr news agency quoted Kirman City Revolutionary Court head Dadkhuda Salari as saying.
- AUGUST 2, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EXECUTION AWAITS CRYSTAL METH TRAFFICKERS: COMMANDER
Hamid Reza Hossein-Abadi, commander of the Iranian anti-drug squad of the Law Enforcement Forces...
- AUGUST 2, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED FOR MURDER
one man was hanged in the prison of Rajaee Shahr in Karaj early in the morning, according to the Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran and Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA).
- AUGUST 2, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. HANGING FOR DRUG
one man was hanged in the prison of Behbehan, southwest of Iran, reported the official site of the Iranian judiciary in Khuzestan.
- AUGUST 1, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO MEN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
according to reliable sources, two men were hanged in the prison of Dezful, southwest of Iran.
- JULY 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking in the central city of Isfahan, Iran, the hardline Kayhan newspaper reported. Behnam J., 22, was found guilty of possessing 1.6 kgs of heroin, and Shahram A., arrested with 166 grams of heroin
- JULY 30, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TEHRAN COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR POST-ELECTION DETAINEE
in Iran, 46 year old post-election protester Ja'far Kazemi's death sentence was upheld by Branch 36 of the Tehran Province Appeals Courts, presided by Judge Zargar, according to lawyer Nasim Ghanavi.
JULY 29, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED IN QAZVIN
One man was hanged in the prison of Qazvin, West of Tehran, early today, reported
JULY 26, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PEOPLE HANGED IN THE PRISON OF AHVAZ
Three people were hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz (southwestern Iranian province of
JULY 22, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: HANDS OF FIVE PEOPLE AMPUTATED
Iranian authorities amputated the hands of five people inside a prison in the western
- JULY 21, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
EXECUTION OF JUVENILE OFFENDER OVERTURNED IN IRAN
Ali Mahitorabi, an Iranian juvenile offender accused of murder, was released after the court commuted the charge to manslaughter and blood money was paid.
JULY 21, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE MAN HANGED IN AHVAZ
a man was hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz (south west of Iran), reported the state run Iranian
- JULY 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: ANOTHER HANGED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
according to Iskanews, a person identified as A.A was hanged in Ahvaz, Iran
- JULY 18, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
One person was hanged in the prison of Shirvan, northeast of Iran, reported the state run Iranian news agency Fars.
- JULY 18, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR MEN EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
four people were hanged in Iran for drug trafficking, in two different cases.
- JULY 16, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FIVE MEN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
According to the Kurdish news agency "Mokarian" five men were hanged in the
- JULY 15, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
an Iranian court sentenced a pregnant woman, Maryam Ghorbanzadeh...
an Iranian court sentenced a pregnant woman, Maryam Ghorbanzadeh...
JULY 11, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: YEARS ON DEATH ROW FOR BRIDE TOO YOUNG TO BE STONED
within months of her arranged marriage in Iran, Azar Bagheri had been charged with adultery
- JULY 10, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the reports from Iran a minor offender identified as Mohammad was hanged in the Marvdasht
According to the reports from Iran a minor offender identified as Mohammad was hanged in the Marvdasht
- JULY 8, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HALTS WOMAN'S DEATH BY STONING
The authorities in Iran have announced that a woman convicted of adultery will not be stoned to
- JULY 5, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MOTHER AND SON HANGED
One woman and one man were hanged in the prison of Orumieh (northwest of Iran),
- JULY 5, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
four people were hanged in the prison of Isfahan according to the official website
- JULY 4, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO MEN HANGED IN ZAHEDAN
Two men were hanged in the prison of Zahedan, capital of the Baluchestan province, south east of Iran.
JULY 4, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: YOUTH SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONS
an Iranian youth in Tabriz has been sentenced to death by hanging for the charge