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
- JANUARY 13, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN UNION URGES IRAN TO ELIMINATE DEATH PENALTY THROUGH STONE BEATING
"The EU seriously condemns new facts of death penalty through stone beating in Iran," the EU declaration
- JANUARY 3, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS BAHA'I MAN FOR RAPING DAUGHTER - REPORT
a follower of the Baha'i faith was executed after his daughter complained he had raped her, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported.
- JANUARY 1, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
Offences punishable by death include:
Offences punishable by death include:
- DECEMBER 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in Iran for murder. No further details are available.
a man was hanged in Iran for murder. No further details are available.
- DECEMBER 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in the prison of Arak, central Iran...
a man was hanged in the prison of Arak, central Iran...
- DECEMBER 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MINOR EXECUTED FOR MURDER
the organisation of collective human rights activists in Iran reported the execution of juvenile offender
- DECEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC FOR DOUBLE MURDER
Iran has hanged in public a man convicted of killing a mother and daughter in the southeastern province
- DECEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
the 33rd chamber of the the Supreme Court in Iran confirmed the death sentence of Abbas Hosseini
the 33rd chamber of the the Supreme Court in Iran confirmed the death sentence of Abbas Hosseini
- DECEMBER 28, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN ARDEBIL FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
One man has been hanged in the prison of Ardebil (northwestern Iranian province of east-Azarbaijan),
- DECEMBER 25, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO MEN STONED
Houshang Khodadadeh and an unidentified man were stoned by the mullahs' judiciary in Behesht Zahra cemetery in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran.
- DECEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS EIGHT MEN AND ONE WOMAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged nine convicted murderers, including a woman, in a Tehran prison, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
- DECEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. ONE MAN HANGED IN NOSHAHR
a man was hanged in the prison of Noshahr (north of Iran) early today, reported the state run news
- DECEMBER 23, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the General and Revolutionary Court of Zabol in Sistan-Baluchestan Province...
according to the General and Revolutionary Court of Zabol in Sistan-Baluchestan Province...
- DECEMBER 23, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Behnood Shojaee, a juvenile on death row in Iran, is in imminent danger of execution and is to be executed in less than 48 hours
Behnood Shojaee, a juvenile on death row in Iran, is in imminent danger of execution and is to be executed in less than 48 hours
- DECEMBER 21, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in the town of Malayer...
a man was hanged in the town of Malayer...
- DECEMBER 19, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
two men were executed in the Evin prison, Iran.
two men were executed in the Evin prison, Iran.
- DECEMBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN IN QOM
Iran hanged a man in a prison in the religious city of Qom, the government newspaper Iran reported.
- DECEMBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged two men in a prison in the religious city of Qom after they were convicted of drug trafficking,
- DECEMBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged two men in a prison in the religious city of Qom...
Iran hanged two men in a prison in the religious city of Qom...
- DECEMBER 16, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - RAHELEH ZAMANI SCHEDULED TO BE EXECUTED BY HANGING
Raheleh Zamani, 25, was sentenced to death for murdering her husband two years ago with a steel pipe.
- DECEMBER 15, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED FOR DOUBLE MURDER
a man convicted of killing two people in Iran was hanged in a prison in the northeastern city of Mashhad,
- DECEMBER 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in the northern city of Semnan, the state news agency
DECEMBER 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two men were hanged in the prison of Tabas (Khorasan province, eastern Iran) in the morning, reported
- DECEMBER 10, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in a prison in the southern city of Kazeroun, Quds newspaper
- DECEMBER 7, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN AUTHORITIES HANGED ONE MAN FOR FEW MINUTES, AND THEN SENT HIM TO A HOSPITAL FOR RESUSCITATION
One man was hanged for few minutes, and then sent to a hospital early today, reported the official Iranian news agency IRNA.
- DECEMBER 7, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
TWO PRISONERS SENTENCED TO BE THROWN OFF A CLIFF
the Mullahs' judiciary in Iran sentenced two young men to death by being thrown off of a
- DECEMBER 6, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged three men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan
- DECEMBER 3, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
DOUBLE KILLER HANGED IN IRAN
A man convicted of killing two people was hanged in prison in the central city of Isfahan, Iran.
- DECEMBER 3, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Reza Alinejad, the minor offender who was sentenced to death...
Reza Alinejad, the minor offender who was sentenced to death...
- DECEMBER 2, 2008United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTY
UAE EXTRADITES IRANIAN FUGITIVE ON DEATH SENTENCE TO KUWAIT
the security authorities in the United Arab Emirates handed over to the Kuwaiti authorities an Iranian man who had earlier been sentenced to death by hanging, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.