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
JUNE 10, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN TO REVIEW JUVENILE EXECUTIONS
Iran agreed to review its widely condemned policy of executing juvenile criminals
JUNE 9, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: HANGED IN PUBLIC FOR MURDER
One man was hanged in public in the town of Sarab, northwest Iran. According to the
- JUNE 8, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
the Iranian government’s newspaper ‘Iran’ reported four people were hanged.
the Iranian government’s newspaper ‘Iran’ reported four people were hanged.
- JUNE 8, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in Iran for drug trafficking, Iranian government’s newspaper ‘Iran’ reported.
a man was hanged in Iran for drug trafficking, Iranian government’s newspaper ‘Iran’ reported.
JUNE 8, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE PEOPLE EXECUTED FOR RAPE, DRUG TRAFFICKING
the Iranian government’s newspaper ‘Iran’ reported five people were hanged. The report didn’t say where the executions took place, but it is believed that they took place in Tehran.
- JUNE 7, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SUPREME COURT REPORTEDLY CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCES OF TWO IRANIAN KURDS
the Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that lawyers of Kurdish activists Mohammad Amin Agushi and Ahmad Puladkhani were notified of their death sentences after they were approved by the Iranian Supreme Court.
JUNE 7, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 13 PEOPLE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
According to reliable sources 13 people were hanged in the morning in the prison of Ghezel Hesar, Tehran, Iran Human Rights reported.
JUNE 7, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO MEN HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING, RAPE
two men have been recently executed in Iran for drug trafficking and rape.
- JUNE 6, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN KURDS BURIED IN SECRET LOCATION AFTER EXECUTION’
Iranian authorities refused to hand over the bodies of Kurdish militants executed last month to their families and buried them in a secret location, their lawyer lawyer Khalil Bahramian told Rahesabz website.
- JUNE 4, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
a 36 year old man identified as ‘Jalil B.’ was hanged in the prison of Mianeh
a 36 year old man identified as ‘Jalil B.’ was hanged in the prison of Mianeh
- JUNE 3, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
a 25 year old man identified as Saeed was hanged in the prison of Isfahan, Iran
a 25 year old man identified as Saeed was hanged in the prison of Isfahan, Iran
- MAY 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
DANGER OF IMMINENT EXECUTION OF KURDISH ACTIVISTS
according to news reports from the Committee against Execution in Kurdistan...
MAY 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO PEOPLE HANGED IN SHIRVAN
Two people were hanged in the prison of Shirvan (north Khorasan province
MAY 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SEVEN AFGHAN IMMIGRANTS EXECUTED
Iranian authorities executed seven Afghan refugees, their relatives in western Herat province
- MAY 31, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: SIX PEOPLE HANGED
six people have been hanged recently in Iran.
- MAY 29, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
quoting Isfahan judiciary’s public relations, Isfahan Metropolis News agency (IMNA) reported
quoting Isfahan judiciary’s public relations, Isfahan Metropolis News agency (IMNA) reported
- MAY 26, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED FOR RAPE
Iran hanged a man in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan after convicting him of rape, the Fars news agency reported. The report identified the man sent to the gallows as Jamshid Mir.
MAY 25, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: FILMMAKER JAFAR PANAHI RELEASED
Iran released an internationally renowned filmmaker and opposition supporter on bail after more than two months in custody, state TV reported.
MAY 25, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS FOUR CONVICTED DRUG SMUGGLERS
four people were hanged in the prison of Yazd after
- MAY 24, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
five people, including one woman, were hanged in the prison
five people, including one woman, were hanged in the prison
MAY 24, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ABDOLHAMID RIGI HANGED IN ZAHEDAN
Iran executed a brother of the detained leader of a Sunni Muslim rebel group behind the deadliest bomb attack in the Islamic Republic in years, official media reported.
MAY 23, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN EXECUTED IN AHWAZ FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
a man was hanged in the Iranian province of Khuzestan for drug trafficking.
MAY 21, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man identified only as Mohammad in the central province of Isfahan
- MAY 20, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN EXECUTED IN PUBLIC FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran publicly hanged a man convicted of drug trafficking in the western city of Ahvaz, Fars news agency reported. The man was identified by his initials as A.A., he was arrested with 1.375 kilos of heroin.
- MAY 18, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TWO EXECUTED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran executed two men for drug trafficking in Isfahan Central Prison, FARS
MAY 16, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: STUDENT’S DEATH SENTENCE FOR THROWING ROCKS REVERSED
in Iran, Tehran’s Prosecutor General, Abbas Jaafari Dowlatabadi, announced that the death sentence
MAY 15, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN CONFIRMS DEATH SENTENCE FOR OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS
The death sentence for six opposition activists arrested in protests after last year's
- MAY 12, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
EU: IRAN URGED TO DROP DEATH SENTENCE ON TWO 'MOHAREBS'
European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton pleaded with Iran to drop death sentences
- MAY 9, 2010IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS 5 KURDISH ACTIVISTS, INCLUDING WOMAN
five Kurdish activists, including a woman, were hanged in Iran's notorious Evin Prison.
MAY 8, 2010IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: SIX HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged six men convicted of drug trafficking in