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
- 9,221
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 9,221 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 24, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO BROTHERS HANGED IN BOJNORD
Two men were hanged in northeastern Iranian town of Bojnord, reported the state run Iranian news agency Fars.
- JANUARY 23, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
one man was hanged in the prison of Yasouj, southwest of Iran, reported the Iranian state
one man was hanged in the prison of Yasouj, southwest of Iran, reported the Iranian state
- JANUARY 20, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
one prisoner was hanged in the prison of Bojnourd, northeast of Iran, reported the state
one prisoner was hanged in the prison of Bojnourd, northeast of Iran, reported the state
JANUARY 19, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 10 PEOPLE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Ten people were executed in Karaj’s Rejai Shahr Prison, Iran, early this morning.
- JANUARY 18, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN SET TO EXECUTE TWO BY STONING
Iran is set to execute two men, identified as Ayub and Mosleh, 20 and 21 years old, by stoning in the city of Piranshahr in the province of Kurdistan.
JANUARY 18, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EXECUTED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
Iran has hanged a drug smuggler in the southern city of Zarand in Kerman province
JANUARY 17, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: NO CHANGE IN ASHTIANI CASE, SAYS JUDICIARY
The Iranian judiciary said there have been no changes in the case of Sakineh Mohammadi
- JANUARY 17, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN SUSPENDS SENTENCE TO HANG WOMAN IN STONING CASE
Iran has suspended a sentence to hang a woman at the center of a global outcry about
- JANUARY 16, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
RIGHTS GROUP DECRIES 'EXECUTION BINGE' IN IRAN
Iranian authorities unleashed an "execution binge" with an average rate of one person hanged every eight hours since the beginning of 2011...
JANUARY 15, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: KURDISH POLITICAL PRISONER EXECUTED
one Kurdish political prisoner was executed in the prison of Oroumieh, in Iran.
- JANUARY 13, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FIVE MEN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran has hanged five men convicted of drug trafficking, the state broadcaster
- JANUARY 12, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED FOR RAPE
one man was hanged in Tehran’s Evin prison early this morning.
JANUARY 12, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN MEN EXECUTED IN TEHRAN
seven men were hanged in Tehran’s Evin prison early this morning. According to the Iranian news agency Aftab, the seven men were convicted of drug trafficking.
- JANUARY 11, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
TEENAGE IRANIAN FACES EXECUTION OVER WITHDRAWN SODOMY 'CONFESSION'
a 19-year-old Iranian is facing execution on charges of attempted sodomy – even though the allegation was withdrawn by the accuser, according to reports. Ehsan was 17 when he was arrested.
- JANUARY 9, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN'S COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR DETAINED MAN - WEBSITE
the 36th branch of the Tehran Court of Appeals presided over by Hojjat...
JANUARY 8, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FOUR HANGED IN ISFAHAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Four men were hanged in the prison of central Iranian city of Isfahan, early today
- JANUARY 7, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO MEN HANGED IN BOROUJERD
Two men were hanged in Boroujerd, west of Iran, early this morning.
- JANUARY 5, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: CONVICTED MURDERER HANGED IN PUBLIC
Iran hanged in public a man convicted of committing a sensational daylight murder in a Tehran neighbourhood in October, state news agency IRNA reported.
- JANUARY 5, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
A convicted drug trafficker, identified only by his initials A.A., was executed
- JANUARY 3, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
one man was hanged in the prison of Zahedan, Iran, early in the morning
one man was hanged in the prison of Zahedan, Iran, early in the morning
- JANUARY 3, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
According to several Iranian news agencies seven people were hanged in the prison
According to several Iranian news agencies seven people were hanged in the prison
JANUARY 3, 2011IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: EIGHT PEOPLE HANGED
eight people were hanged in two different towns in Iran.
- JANUARY 2, 2011NetherlandsDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: DUTCH IRANIAN WOMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN IRAN
Dutch-Iranian woman Zahra Bahrami was found guilty of drug smuggling and sentenced to death by a court in Tehran, Iran, her daughter confirmed. She is reported to have been arrested after taking part in anti-government demonstrations.
- JANUARY 1, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
Offences punishable by death include:
Offences punishable by death include:
- JANUARY 1, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EIGHT PEOPLE HANGED IN QOM
Eight people were hanged in the prison of Qom, south of Tehran, state run news
- JANUARY 1, 2011IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR MEN HANGED IN BALUCHESTAN
four men were hanged in Zahedan prison in Sistan-Baluchestan.
DECEMBER 28, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO POLITICAL PRISONERS HANGED
According to the reports from Iran two political prisoners were hanged
DECEMBER 26, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN PASSES DEATH SENTENCE ON 'ISRAELI SPY'
Iran sentenced an unidentified man to death for syping for Israel, the semiofficial Mehr
DECEMBER 25, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN PEOPLE HANGED
According to the news from Iran, seven prisoners were hanged in three different Iranian towns early on the Christmas day.
- DECEMBER 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: 11 MEN HANGED IN ZAHEDAN
eleven men were hanged in the south-eastern Iranian city of Zahedan (capital of Baluchestan