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
- 9,149
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 9,149 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 29, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged three convicted rapists, local media reported.
Iran hanged three convicted rapists, local media reported.
NOVEMBER 29, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: NINE HANGED FOR RAPE, DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged three convicted rapists and six drug traffickers -- one of them a woman -- in different cities, local media reported.
NOVEMBER 24, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ELEVEN PRISONERS EXECUTED IN THE PRISON OF SHIRAZ
Eleven prisoners were hanged in the prison of Shiraz (southern Iran) early in the morning
NOVEMBER 24, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE MAN HANGED IN THE PRISON OF QOM
One prisoner was hanged in the prison of Qom (south of Tehran) reported the state run
- NOVEMBER 21, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: UN RESOLUTION CONDEMNS RIGHTS ABUSES IN IRAN
the UN General Assembly's rights committee passed a resolution condemning human rights abuses in Iran. It condemned "torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including flogging and amputations" carried out by Iranian authorities.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
the Iranian High Court approved the death penalty imposed
the Iranian High Court approved the death penalty imposed
- NOVEMBER 20, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, three unidentified prisoners
According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, three unidentified prisoners
- NOVEMBER 20, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
The Iranian national broadcasting (IRIB) in the province of Bakhtiari reported that
The Iranian national broadcasting (IRIB) in the province of Bakhtiari reported that
NOVEMBER 20, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO MEN HANGED IN MASHAD
Two young men were hanged in the Vakilabad prison of Mashad, Iran, reported
NOVEMBER 20, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE PRISONERS EXECUTED
Five prisoners were hanged in two different prisons in Iran early in the morning.
- NOVEMBER 17, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qom
two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qom
NOVEMBER 15, 2011PakistanDEATH PENALTYUNITED ARAB EMIRATES: 10 DRUG DEALERS GET DEATH IN KHOR FAKKAN
a criminal court in Khor Fakkan, UAE, sentenced 10 men to death after they were
NOVEMBER 14, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE PEOPLE EXECUTED IN PRISON
Five people have been hanged in two different Iranian prisons, reported the Iranian state media.
- NOVEMBER 12, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
Fars news agency reported that three prisoners were lashed 60 times and then hanged
Fars news agency reported that three prisoners were lashed 60 times and then hanged
NOVEMBER 12, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: CONVICTED RAPIST HANGED IN PUBLIC
Iran hanged in public a man convicted of various charges, including rape, abduction and threatening
- NOVEMBER 11, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the state run Iranian news agency Fars, two prisoners were hanged
According to the state run Iranian news agency Fars, two prisoners were hanged
- NOVEMBER 4, 2011MalaysiaDEATH PENALTY
MALAYSIA: THREE IRANIANS SENTENCED TO DEATH
a Malaysian high court sentenced three Iranians to death by hanging after they were
- NOVEMBER 3, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SCORNED SUITOR HANGED
one man, who was identified as Z. K., was hanged publicly in the town of Noor Abad
OCTOBER 26, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC IN GHARCHAK
One man was hanged publicly in the town of Gharchak, Tehran province, early in the morning.
- OCTOBER 25, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN ORUMIEH PRISON
Selah Abedini was executed in Orumieh prison early in the morning, Kurdish website
- OCTOBER 24, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, one unidentified prisoner was hanged in the prison of
According to the official Iranian news agency IRNA, one unidentified prisoner was hanged in the prison of
- OCTOBER 24, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
two prisoners were hanged in two different prisons in Iran early this morning, reported the Iranian
two prisoners were hanged in two different prisons in Iran early this morning, reported the Iranian
OCTOBER 24, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED
Three prisoners were hanged in three different prisons in Iran early this morning
OCTOBER 20, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE YOUNG MEN HANGED IN QAZVIN
Three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qazvin (west of tehran) early this
OCTOBER 19, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC FOR MURDER
One man was hanged publicly in the city of Shiraz (southern Iran) reported the official
OCTOBER 18, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYUN: IRAN SECRETLY EXECUTED PRISONERS
Hundreds of prisoners have been secretly executed by Iran's regime, according to a
- OCTOBER 16, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED
Two prisoners were hanged in the prison of Sari (northern Iran) reported the official website
- OCTOBER 16, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN BIRJAND
one man was hanged in the prison of Birjand, capital of the southern Khorasan province
OCTOBER 13, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE MAN HANGED PUBLICLY
One man was hanged publicly in the town of Sardasht (Fars province, south of Iran), reported
- OCTOBER 12, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR MEN HANGED IN PUBLIC
Four men were hanged publicly in the town of Khomeinishahr, in central Iran, early in the morning.