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
- OCTOBER 11, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN COURT ORDERS RETRIAL OF PASTOR SENTENCED TO DEATH
Iran's supreme court ordered a retrial for Iranian Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, 32, from Rasht, who was arrested in 2009 and sentenced to death for renouncing his Muslim religion.
OCTOBER 11, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED IN SEMNAN
Three prisoners were hanged in the morning in the prison of Semnan, Iran, reported the official
OCTOBER 10, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE AZERBAIJANIS EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
five Iranian Azerbaijanis – Jamal Shaikhzade, Farhad Islamdust, Muhammad Jangali, Dehqan
- OCTOBER 8, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
Iranian actress Marzieh Vafamehr
Iranian actress Marzieh Vafamehr
OCTOBER 8, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ONE EXECUTION IN THE PRISON OF ISFAHAN
one prisoner was executed in the prison of Isfahan, Iran.
- OCTOBER 7, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH IN IRAN FOR RAPE
Iran's Supreme Court approved the death sentence handed to four men accused of a gang rape in Khomeinishahr.
OCTOBER 5, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS HANGED IN KERMAN
Three prisoners were hanged in the prison of Kerman, southeastern Iran, reported the official site of Kerman judiciary.
- OCTOBER 4, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN ARDABIL FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged a convicted drug trafficker in the northwestern city of Ardabil, the official
OCTOBER 4, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: POLITICAL PRISONER SECRETLY HANGED
Political prisoner Aziz Khakzad was secretly hanged in Kerman Central Prison, Iran, on charges of
OCTOBER 2, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN MEN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Seven prisoners were hanged in Shiraz (southern Iran) early in the morning.
OCTOBER 2, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED FOR RAPE, ROBBERY
One man was hanged in the city of Sari, northern Iran, early in the morning reported
OCTOBER 1, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: OFFICIALS SAY DEATH-ROW PASTOR'S CHARGES NOT RELIGIOUS
the charges against an Iranian pastor sentenced to death were not based on religious
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO MEN EXECUTED IN ZABOL
Iran has hanged two convicted drug traffickers in the eastern city of Zabol, local media reported
- SEPTEMBER 28, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: ONE PRISONER HANGED IN QOM
One prisoner was hanged in the central prison of Qom (south of Tehran) early in the morning, reported the Iranain state media.
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN PASTOR COULD BE EXECUTED
a Christian pastor in Iran, Yousef Nadarkhani, who twice refused to recant his faith in court, could be executed within days, which would make him the first since 1990 to be put to death by the government for apostasy.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ACID THROWER TO BE BLINDED
Iran's supreme court upheld a sentence of blinding in one eye for a waiter who hurled acid at
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs...
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs...
SEPTEMBER 23, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: UN EXPERTS CONDEMN PUBLIC EXECUTION OF JUVENILE
according to a statement by the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, four
SEPTEMBER 22, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING, MURDER
two men have been hanged in Iran in the last days, media reported.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
One prisoner was hanged in Minab, in southern Iranian province of Hormozgan.
One prisoner was hanged in Minab, in southern Iranian province of Hormozgan.
SEPTEMBER 21, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MINOR HANGED IN PUBLIC IN KARAJ
17-year-old Alireza Mollasoltani was publically hanged in Karaj (west of Tehran) early this morning.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS CONVICTED MURDERER IN PUBLIC
One man was hanged publically in Tehran early this morning, reported the Iranian
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN GHAZVIN
One prisoner was hanged in the prison of Ghazvin (west of Tehran) early this morning, reported the Iranian news agency Mehr.
SEPTEMBER 18, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 22 PRISONERS HANGED
According to the Iranian government daily "Iran", 22 prisoners were hanged in the prisons of Evin (Tehran) and Rajaei Shahr (Karaj, west of Tehran) for drug-related crimes.
- SEPTEMBER 15, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PRISONERS HANGED
Two prisoners were executed early this morning in the prison of Semnan
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran publicly hanged a man convicted of murdering a female fellow student
Iran publicly hanged a man convicted of murdering a female fellow student
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
a man convicted of murdering four members of a family a year ago was hanged
a man convicted of murdering four members of a family a year ago was hanged
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged three people for drug trafficking in the central iranian city of Qom,
Iran hanged three people for drug trafficking in the central iranian city of Qom,
SEPTEMBER 13, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TEN PEOPLE EXECUTED
ten people have been executed in Iran in the last two days.
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
Five prisoners were hanged in the prison of Shahroud in Semnan province (north of Iran)
Five prisoners were hanged in the prison of Shahroud in Semnan province (north of Iran)