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
OCTOBER 6, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 8 PEOPLE HANGED IN KERMAN
Eight people were hanged in the prison of Kerman, south east of Iran, reported the official
- OCTOBER 3, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
One woman was hanged in the prison of Shirvan (northeast of Iran) according to the
One woman was hanged in the prison of Shirvan (northeast of Iran) according to the
- OCTOBER 3, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
three men were hanged in the southern Khorasan province, Iran, during the month
three men were hanged in the southern Khorasan province, Iran, during the month
- OCTOBER 3, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE MEN, WOMAN HANGED
three men and a woman were hanged recently in Iran, iranian media reported.
- OCTOBER 2, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
after being tried in the 11th Chamber of the Gilan Province’s Assize Court...
after being tried in the 11th Chamber of the Gilan Province’s Assize Court...
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: AMBASSADOR IN ITALY- ‘STONING WILL SOON BE ABOLISHED’
the Iranian ambassador in Italy said that the parliament in Tehran will shortly approve
SEPTEMBER 29, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FAMILIES OF KILLED DETAINEES CALL FOR PROSECUTION OF SENIOR OFFICIALS
The families of the three Iranian detainees who were killed under
- SEPTEMBER 27, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: CONFUSION OVER STONING WOMAN
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has received a death sentence for committing murder
SEPTEMBER 25, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER EXECUTED
According to the reports from Iran a minor offender identified as Mohammad was hanged on July 10th 2010 in the Marvdasht prison of Shiraz.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
a person was hanged in Aran-Bigdel (province of Isfahan, Central Iran) for drug trafficking
a person was hanged in Aran-Bigdel (province of Isfahan, Central Iran) for drug trafficking
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in Kerman (southeast of Iran), the official website of the Iranian
a man was hanged in Kerman (southeast of Iran), the official website of the Iranian
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO PEOPLE HANGED IN KERMAN AND ISFAHAN
Two people were hanged in Kerman (southeast of Iran) and Aran-Bigdel (province
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
Two men were hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz, southwest of Iran this
Two men were hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz, southwest of Iran this
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz, southwest of Iran this morning
a man was hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz, southwest of Iran this morning
SEPTEMBER 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PEOPLE HANGED IN YAZD
Three people were hanged in the morning in the prison of Yazd, central Iran, reported the state run Iranian news agency ISNA.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: DEATH SENTENCE FOR A POLITICAL PRISONER REAFFIRMED
Iran's Supreme Court upheld a death sentence for political prisoner Mohammad Ali Haj-Aqai
SEPTEMBER 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PEOPLE HANGED IN AHVAZ
Three men were hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz, southwest of Iran this morning, reported the state run Iranian news agency Fars.
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: LASHED, HANGED IN PRISON
One man was hanged in the Khoran prison of Varamin, Iran, reported the Iranian
SEPTEMBER 14, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
One person was hanged in the prison of Shirvan, northeastern Iran, in the morning, reported the official website of the Iranian judiciary in North Khorasan.
- SEPTEMBER 8, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: STONING SENTENCE ON HOLD, SAYS FOREIGN MINISTRY
Iran’s foreign ministry said the stoning death sentence given to a woman convicted of adultery and murder was now on hold.
- SEPTEMBER 5, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH IN NORTHWEST FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
four unidentified major importers of precursors of opiates were sentenced to death
- SEPTEMBER 4, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: WOMAN FACING DEATH BY STONING IS 'LASHED 99 MORE TIMES'
an Iranian widow sentenced to death by stoning for adultery has been lashed 99 times for ''spreading corruption and indecency'' after a newspaper published an alleged picture of her without a headscarf, her son said.
- AUGUST 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SAKINEH MOHAMMADI ASHTIANI SUBJECTED TO MOCK EXECUTION
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning, was told on August 28 that she was to be hanged at dawn the day after, but the sentence was not carried out, it emerged tonight.
AUGUST 25, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: HUNDREDS POSSIBLY EXECUTED IN MASHHAD
According to unofficial reports from several sources in Iran several hundred prisoners
- AUGUST 22, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged Akbar Z., 33, and Hamidreza H., 28, and Afghanistan national Shah S., 38, in a
- AUGUST 19, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: WOMAN RECIEVES DEATH SENTENCE FOR DEMONSTRATION PHOTOGRAPHY
Farah Vazehan, a female political prisoner arrested in the December 27 demonstrations in 2009 in Iran received a death sentence, according to “Human Rights Activist in Iran” weblog. Vazehan charged with sending a demonstration photo abroad to an oppositio
AUGUST 11, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE MEN HANGED IN PUBLIC
Iran publicly hanged three men in the western city of Azna, in the province of Lorestan.
- AUGUST 7, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
FIVE PEOPLE EXECUTED IN IRAN
five people were hanged in the Karoun prison of Ahvaz early in the morning, reported the state run Iranian news agency FARS.
- AUGUST 3, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN SENTENCES NINE PEOPLE ACCUSED OF DRUG SMUGGLING
nine people accused of drug smuggling were sentenced to death in Iran's Kirman Province, Mehr news agency quoted Kirman City Revolutionary Court head Dadkhuda Salari as saying.
- AUGUST 2, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: EXECUTION AWAITS CRYSTAL METH TRAFFICKERS: COMMANDER
Hamid Reza Hossein-Abadi, commander of the Iranian anti-drug squad of the Law Enforcement Forces...