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
- MAY 7, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. A WOMAN HANGED IN BANDAR ABBAS
a 30 year old women identified as Zahra Nazari was hanged in the main prison of Iran's southern city of
- MAY 5, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking in the southern town of Roodan in Hormozgan province, according to the student ISNA news agency.
- MAY 3, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
three men, M. Salari, Z. Hashimi and Amin A., were hanged in Iran for drug-related crimes
three men, M. Salari, Z. Hashimi and Amin A., were hanged in Iran for drug-related crimes
- APRIL 30, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. PORNOGRAPHY PRODUCERS TO GET DEATH PENALTY UNDER NEW LAW
the culture committee of the Iranian parliament approved a bill sentencing to death
- APRIL 30, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN THREE INDIVIDUALS EXECUTED IN TEHRAN ON SECURITY CHARGES
three individuals were executed in Tehran, Iran, having been sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court.
- APRIL 28, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
an Iranian man convicted of murder has been hanged in southern Hormozgan province...
- APRIL 25, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
in Iran, two men convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in Tehran's main prison.
- APRIL 25, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
ISNA news agency reported the execution of a man...
ISNA news agency reported the execution of a man...
- APRIL 24, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Fars news agency reported that two unnamed men were execuated in Iran
Fars news agency reported that two unnamed men were execuated in Iran
- APRIL 23, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
an Iranian man convicted of murder was hanged in a prison in northwestern East Azarbaijan province, the official IRNA news agency reported.
- APRIL 22, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. FOUR DRUG TRAFFICKERS PUBLICLY HANGED
Iran recently hanged four men convicted of drug trafficking according to local media.
- APRIL 22, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Syed Mohammad Reza Mousavi Shirazi, 20...
Syed Mohammad Reza Mousavi Shirazi, 20...
- APRIL 21, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
two men, Jamal Shir Mohamadi...
two men, Jamal Shir Mohamadi...
- APRIL 17, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified as Abasali...
a man, identified as Abasali...
- APRIL 16, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a political prisoner, identified as Kaled Zarkandi...
a political prisoner, identified as Kaled Zarkandi...
- APRIL 15, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified as Homayoon, 25...
a man, identified as Homayoon, 25...
- APRIL 14, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN COURT OVERTURNS DEATH SENTENCE
Iran's Supreme Court overturned a death sentence against a hard-line Islamic vigilante for murdering a couple for immoral behavior in southeastern Iran, one of the victims' lawyers said
- APRIL 14, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged a prisoner identified as Habib in the northern town of Manjeele...
Iran hanged a prisoner identified as Habib in the northern town of Manjeele...
- APRIL 13, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Ramezan Ebrahimi was publicly hanged in the city of Kerman...
Ramezan Ebrahimi was publicly hanged in the city of Kerman...
- APRIL 13, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a political prisoner, identified as Hossein Farhoudeh...
a political prisoner, identified as Hossein Farhoudeh...
- APRIL 8, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE HANGED FOR RAPE
three Iranians convicted of kidnapping and then raping a woman
- APRIL 2, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
two unnamed men were executed in Mahhad...
two unnamed men were executed in Mahhad...
- MARCH 29, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
UN RIGHTS EXPERT BLASTS IRAN OVER JUVENILE EXECUTIONS
a UN human rights expert blasted Iran over the “unacceptable” executions of juvenile offenders.
- MARCH 28, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified as Hossein Haj Mohamadi...
a man, identified as Hossein Haj Mohamadi...
- MARCH 16, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
TWO IRANIAN ASSASSINS SENTENCED TO DEATH
Majid Kavousifar and his accomplice Hossein Kavousifar...
- MARCH 14, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN EXECUTES MAN FOR
Ahmad Sariz was executed in public, in the Iranian city of Zahedan, near the Pakistani and Afghan borders, the daily Kayhan reported.
- MARCH 11, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO HANGED FOR DRUG SMUGGLING
two men convicted of armed drug smuggling were publicly hanged in the town...
- MARCH 7, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS FIVE MEN CONVICTED OF MURDER
Iran executed five men convicted of murder, the semi-official
- FEBRUARY 28, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED FOR CHILD RAPE AND MURDER
a young man convicted of child rape and murder was hanged in a prison in the northern Iranian
- FEBRUARY 26, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. CHILD RAPIST HANGED IN PUBLIC
a young man convicted of child rape was publicly hanged in Iran's central clerical capital of Qom, the
