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
- 8,610
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 8,610 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
- JULY 25, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TEEN SET TO ESCAPE EXECUTION
an Iranian teenager awaiting execution for murdering a drug dealer while he was
- JULY 24, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in the western city of Kermanshah
- JULY 22, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN SAYS 16 CRIMINALS HANGED
Iran hanged 16 men convicted for various offences, including rape and kidnapping.
- JULY 21, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran publicly hanged a convicted murderer in the western city of Khoramabad, a press report said.
- JULY 19, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. KURDISH JOURNALIST, ACTIVIST SENTENCED TO DEATH
authorities in Iran's northwestern Kurdistan Province have condemned two ethnic Kurds
- JULY 19, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
three men, Majid, 27, Mostafa...
three men, Majid, 27, Mostafa...
- JULY 18, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HALTS TEENAGER’S EXECUTION
Iran halted the execution of a teenager who murdered a drug dealer when he was 16, giving his family 10 days to reach a settlement with the victim’s kin, his lawyer said.
- JULY 18, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN EXECUTED FOR DRUG DEALING IN IRAN'S SISTAN-BALUCHESTAN
a drug dealer under the name of Na'im Mola'i, suspected of possessing 10 kg of heroin...
- JULY 17, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT PENDING CHILD OFFENDER EXECUTION IN IRAN
Amnesty International discovered that 18 year old Sina Paymard, who was sentenced to death in Iran for a crime committed when he was just 16 years old, may be executed within the next few hours.
- JULY 16, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
Iran publicly hanged a man convicted of murder in the central city of Arak, the Iran governmental newspaper reported.
- JULY 14, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE HANGED IN PUBLIC
Iran publicly hanged two men and a woman convicted of murder in the northwestern city of Tabriz and the southern city of Shiraz, media reports said.
- JULY 12, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified only as Abdolah F., was executed in Iran...
a man, identified only as Abdolah F., was executed in Iran...
- JULY 11, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. EIGHT WOMEN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY STONING
Iran sentenced to death eight women currently serving time in Iranian prisons, the state-run daily
- JULY 10, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. 20 CRIMINALS SENTENCED TO DEATH: JUDICIARY SPOKESMAN
judiciary spokesman Alireza Jamshidi announced that 20
- JULY 9, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iranian authorities executed Navid Parham, 22, by hanging in public, in a street in the southern city of Shiraz.
- JULY 9, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iranian authorities hanged a man identified by local media as Hassan Madadi.
- JULY 9, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL OUTRAGED AT REPORTED STONING
Amnesty International expressed outrage at the reported execution by stoning of Ja’far Kiani on 5 July...
- JULY 8, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR RAPE
Iran hanged a rapist in the central city of Arak, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
- JULY 7, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Akbar A., 23, was hanged in the city of Isfahan, Iran, for rape.
Akbar A., 23, was hanged in the city of Isfahan, Iran, for rape.
- JULY 5, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. ADULTERER STONED TO DEATH
a man convicted of adultery was stoned to death in a village in northwestern Iran, the first time judiciary has confirmed such an execution in five years.
- JULY 3, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN TO HANG POLITICAL PRISONER ON JULY 4
the death sentence of Khaled Hardani, a political prisoner since 2000, was reaffirmed on May 31, 2007.
- JULY 2, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified only as Mostafa Sh...
a man, identified only as Mostafa Sh...
- JUNE 27, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
71 KIDS ON DEATH ROW IN IRAN
Amnesty International appealed to Iran to stop executing children and those who committed their crimes
- JUNE 26, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran executed a man, ISNA reported.
Iran executed a man, ISNA reported.
- JUNE 22, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. EXECUTIONS OF MINORS HAS 'PRACTICALLY STOPPED'
The execution of people under the age of 18 has "practically stopped" in Iran and the government is
- JUNE 21, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran has publicly hanged a man convicted of murder in the western city of Khorramabad,
- JUNE 21, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged a man convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the town of Karaj...
- JUNE 20, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN LEADS THE WORLD IN EXECUTING CHILDREN
Iran should immediately suspend the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by
- JUNE 20, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran has hanged a convicted drug trafficker in public in the southern city of Shiraz in Fars province, a newspaper reported.
- JUNE 20, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN STAYS EXECUTION BY STONING
Iranian authorities have halted the planned stoning to death of a man and woman convicted of adultery following international protests.
