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
- NOVEMBER 7, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
Morteza M, whose full surname is unknown...
Morteza M, whose full surname is unknown...
- NOVEMBER 5, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN SAYS EXECUTION THE “VERY LEAST” SADDAM DESERVES
Iran said a death sentence was the “very least” punishment that should be handed down to its one-time foe former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
- NOVEMBER 5, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged two men, Mohammad Askani e Najibollah Qayoumi...
Iran hanged two men, Mohammad Askani e Najibollah Qayoumi...
- NOVEMBER 4, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
Salman has been sentenced to death, in Iran, for murdering Nader...
Salman has been sentenced to death, in Iran, for murdering Nader...
- NOVEMBER 3, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN PUBLICLY HANGED FOR MURDER
an Iranian man convicted of murder was hanged in public in the southeastern town of Zabol, the government newspaper Iran reported
- NOVEMBER 3, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
two Iranian men have been hanged in a prison in the south-western city of Ahwaz.
two Iranian men have been hanged in a prison in the south-western city of Ahwaz.
- NOVEMBER 2, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. COUPLE REPORTED HANGED IN MAY, WERE ACTUALLY STONED TO DEATH
according to Rooz daily, “In May 2006, a man and a woman identified as Abbass H. and Mahboubeh M. were stoned to death in the northern city of Mashhad”.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. SIX PEOPLE PUBLICLY HANGED FOR KIDNAPPING TOURISTS
Iran publicly hanged in the southeastern city of Zahedan six members of a Sunni "terrorist" group convicted of abducting European tourists and armed robbery.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
an iranian man convicted of drug trafficking was hanged in public in the southeastern city of Zahedan.
an iranian man convicted of drug trafficking was hanged in public in the southeastern city of Zahedan.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
an iranian man convicted of armed kidnapping was hanged in public in the southeastern city of Zahedan.
an iranian man convicted of armed kidnapping was hanged in public in the southeastern city of Zahedan.
- NOVEMBER 1, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified only as M., was hanged in public in Gorgan...
a man, identified only as M., was hanged in public in Gorgan...
- OCTOBER 31, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR ARMED ROBBERY
an Iranian man convicted of several counts of robbery was hanged in the southern province of Hormozgan.
- OCTOBER 28, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
Nosratollah A. has been sentenced to death, in Iran...
Nosratollah A. has been sentenced to death, in Iran...
- OCTOBER 15, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO FEMALE CONVICTS REPORTEDLY ESCAPE EXECUTION - AGENCY
it was reported that two female convicts in Iran’s Hamedan prison had their sentences reduced and managed to escape execution.
- OCTOBER 13, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. WOMAN'S DEATH PENALTY SUSPENDED IN HIGH PROFILE CASE
the judiciary has suspended the hanging of Kobra Rahmanpour "while it waits for the husband's family to pardon her," said in an interview her attorney, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi.
- OCTOBER 3, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
H. Sh, 22, has been sentenced to death by the Hormozgan Penal Court...
H. Sh, 22, has been sentenced to death by the Hormozgan Penal Court...
- OCTOBER 2, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN EXECUTED FOR ARMED ROBBERY
a man was hanged in the city of Ahwaz, south-west Iran, the government-run news agency Fars reported.
- OCTOBER 2, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
three men have been sentenced to death, in Iran...
three men have been sentenced to death, in Iran...
- OCTOBER 2, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified only as Mohammad, 23...
a man, identified only as Mohammad, 23...
- OCTOBER 1, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MINOR SENTENCED TO HANG
a 17 year old boy was sentenced to death in Iran for murder, the Etemad daily reported.
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO BROTHERS HANGED IN PUBLIC
two Iranian brothers convicted of murder have been hanged publicly in the western province of Lorestan, the official news agency IRNA said.
- SEPTEMBER 29, 2006ChinaDEATH PENALTY
UNITED NATIONS. UN EXPERT SEEKS END TO DEATH PENALTY FOR CHILDREN
countries where capital punishment is practiced should exempt children under 18 -- or adults convicted while minors -- from the death penalty, a UN human rights expert report said.
- SEPTEMBER 25, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
Hamid Reza, known as Hamid Rashti, 35...
Hamid Reza, known as Hamid Rashti, 35...
- SEPTEMBER 24, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE DRUG TRAFFICKERS HANGED IN PRISON
three Iranian men convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan. The men were identified as Ali Karimi, Gholam Koohkan and Khodamorad Lashkarzadeh.
- SEPTEMBER 23, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. FOUR PRISONERS HANGED IN PRISON
four prisoners were hanged by Iran’s judicial officials inside Zahedan Prison. State-run daily Khorassan identified those executed as Shah Mohammad, Nader Rigi, Abdolali Balouch and Mohammad Shakib.
- SEPTEMBER 22, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED FOR DRUG DEALING
an Iranian convicted of drug trafficking was hanged in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan.
- SEPTEMBER 21, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO MEN PUBLICLY HANGED FOR MURDER, DRUG TRAFFICKING
Abdollah Diargard and Amanollah Diargard...
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TEENAGERS SENT TO THE GALLOWS
two teenage boys who had just turned 18 were taken to be hanged in the early morning for a crime they were alleged to have committed when they were under 18.
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO MEN EXECUTED IN EVIN PRISON FOR MURDER
a man identified only as Akbar, was executed in Iran for killing his wife in 2000 because he suspected he was not the father of their nine-month-old baby girl. Akbar set their house ablaze after strangling and stabbing his wife but firefighters succeeding
- SEPTEMBER 20, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
an Afghan, identified only as Abdolghafoor...
an Afghan, identified only as Abdolghafoor...