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
- JULY 22, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EXECUTED FOR MURDERING HIS WIFE
one man was hanged in the prison of Semnan (northern Iran), reported the official Iranian news agency Irna.
- JULY 21, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR MURDER
Iran hanged two men convicted of murder in a prison in the central city of Isfahan, the Etemad newspaper reported.
- JULY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR EXECUTIONS FOR RAPE
four men were hanged in the prison of Qom, south of Tehran, reported the government newspaper "Iran".
- JULY 19, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
TWO JUNDULLAH TERRORIST ON DEATH ROW IN IRAN
Iran sentenced two Jundullah militants to death in the southeast province of Sistan-Baluchestan for terrorism and being an enemy of god.
- JULY 17, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
TWO IRANIAN CHRISTIANS MAY FACE EXECUTION FOR APOSTASY
two Iranian women jailed in Iran's notorious Evin prison for converting from Islam to Christianity may be executed for apostasy, RFE/RL's Radio Farda reported
- JULY 14, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE HUNG FOR DRUGS IN ISFAHAN
three men were hanged in a prison in Isfahan, Iran, for drug trafficking. The executions
- JULY 14, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
WOMAN EXECUTED IN IRAN
a woman in Iran who unintentionally killed her father-in-law in the course of a family dispute in 2005 was executed in Qazvin prison’s facilities for women.
JULY 14, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 13 SUNNI REBELS EXECUTED AS 'ENEMIES OF GOD'
in a mass prison execution, Iran hanged 13 rebels from the Sunni insurgent group Jundallah as "enemies of God" for a string of attacks, including kidnapping of foreigners.
- JULY 12, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN EXECUTES MAN ACCUSED OF “WAGING WAR AGAINST GOD”
an Iranian follower of the Ahl-e Haq religious faith was executed in the northwest
JULY 12, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in the town of Arak in central
- JULY 9, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. ANOTHER EXECUTION
a prisoner was executed in Iran. Reports said that Mahmoud Mahmoudpour, a prisoner in Naqadeh Central Prison, was hanged
JULY 4, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 20 DRUG TRAFFICKERS HANGED IN ONE DAY
Iran hanged 20 drug traffickers, official media reported.
- JULY 2, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SIX EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Six men were hanged in the prison of Qom, south of Tehran, reported the state run Iranian news agency Fars.
- JULY 1, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
six people who participated in protests in Iran against the re-election...
six people who participated in protests in Iran against the re-election of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were hanged in the city of Mashhad.
- JULY 1, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO MEN HANGED FOR MURDER IN SHIRAZ
two men were hanged in the Adelabard prison of Shiraz early morning, reported the Iranian daily newspaper Etemad.
- JULY 1, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SIX HANGED FOR MURDER, TWO SPARED
Iran hanged six people for murder, and two others were spared by the families of their victims at the last minute.
- JUNE 24, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
YEMEN APPEAL OVERTURNS DEATH SENTENCE OF IRANIAN
a Yemeni appeal court overturned a death sentence imposed on an Iranian in a drug trafficking case.
- JUNE 21, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: PARLIAMENT PLANS END TO SOME PUNISHMENTS
Iran's parliament plans to scrap stoning and amputation of a hand as punishments in a revised version of the
- JUNE 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
the website of Iran’s State-run television said that two men were hanged in a prison in
the website of Iran’s State-run television said that two men were hanged in a prison in
- JUNE 17, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking. A report in the Vatan Emrouz
Iran hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking. A report in the Vatan Emrouz
JUNE 17, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: PROSECUTOR WARNS OF DEATH PENALTY FOR VIOLENCE
An Iranian provincial prosecutor has warned that the "few elements" behind post-
- JUNE 16, 2009ItalyDEATH PENALTY
HOC: EUROPE CONDESCENDINGLY ALLOWS IRANIAN REGIME’S BRUTALITY
there were at least 346 executions carried out in Iran in 2008 and at least 200 have already taken place in 2009. These figures come from the dossier 'Iran death penalty and not only' that will be presented by Hands Off Cain at the Radical Party headquart
- JUNE 16, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged two men convicted of murder. A report in the Vatan Emrouz newspaper
Iran hanged two men convicted of murder. A report in the Vatan Emrouz newspaper
JUNE 6, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO MEN HANGED IN ZAHEDAN
Two men were hanged in the southeastern Iranian city of Zahedan in the morning, reported the Iranian daily Kayhan.
- MAY 31, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FIVE PEOPLE EXECUTED IN KERMAN
Five people were hanged in the prison of Kerman, south east of Iran, reported the official news portal of the city.
- MAY 30, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE MEN HANGED FOR MOSQUE BOMBING
Iran hanged three men who were accused of being involved in a mosque bombing that killed 25 people and wounded more than 100, the official IRNA news agency reported.
- MAY 27, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: ONE MAN HANGED IN SIRJAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
One man was hanged in the prison of Sirjan, in Kerman province south east of Iran.
- MAY 26, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN STAYS HANGING OF MINOR
Iran's judiciary chief halted the execution of a man who was condemned to death for committing a murder when he was aged 15, his lawyer said.
- MAY 25, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: COUPLE TO BE STONED
the French news agency, AFP, reported in Tabriz, Iran, the clerical regime’s Supreme
- MAY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
A woman identified as Afsaneh (29) was hanged in the prison of Shiraz, Etemad
A woman identified as Afsaneh (29) was hanged in the prison of Shiraz, Etemad