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
- JANUARY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
One man was hanged in the prison of Yazd, Iran, reported the
One man was hanged in the prison of Yazd, Iran, reported the
- JANUARY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
Two men identified as "A.S." and "A.B." were hanged in the prison of Yazd,
Two men identified as "A.S." and "A.B." were hanged in the prison of Yazd,
- JANUARY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
a drug smuggler, identified only as Gholam was hanged...
a drug smuggler, identified only as Gholam was hanged in the city of Kardj, Iran, the government-run daily newspaper Iran reported.
- JANUARY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
Three unidentified men were hanged in the prison of Yazd, Iran, news agency
Three unidentified men were hanged in the prison of Yazd, Iran, news agency
- JANUARY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN WOMAN TO BE WHIPPED NOT STONED FOR ADULTERY: REPORT
Iran's judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi has commuted a sentence of stoning to death handed down to a woman convicted of adultery to 100 lashes.
- JANUARY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
Two men were hanged in the prison of Isfahan, central Iran, early this morning
Two men were hanged in the prison of Isfahan, central Iran, early this morning
- JANUARY 20, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN KURDISTAN: WOMAN CONDEMNED TO DEATH
Kurdish political prisoner Ms. Zaynab Jalalian aged 27, was condemned to death by Kermanshah Revolutionary Court in Iranian Kurdistan
JANUARY 13, 2009IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN JUDICIARY CONFIRMS MEN STONED TO DEATH FOR ADULTERY
Iran's judiciary confirmed that two men were stoned to death for adultery in the northeastern city of
JANUARY 13, 2009United KingdomDEATH PENALTYEUROPEAN UNION URGES IRAN TO ELIMINATE DEATH PENALTY THROUGH STONE BEATING
"The EU seriously condemns new facts of death penalty through stone beating in Iran," the EU declaration
- JANUARY 3, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS BAHA'I MAN FOR RAPING DAUGHTER - REPORT
a follower of the Baha'i faith was executed after his daughter complained he had raped her, Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported.
- JANUARY 1, 2009IranDEATH PENALTY
Offences punishable by death include:
Offences punishable by death include:
- DECEMBER 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in Iran for murder. No further details are available.
a man was hanged in Iran for murder. No further details are available.
- DECEMBER 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in the prison of Arak, central Iran...
a man was hanged in the prison of Arak, central Iran...
DECEMBER 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MINOR EXECUTED FOR MURDER
the organisation of collective human rights activists in Iran reported the execution of juvenile offender
- DECEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
the 33rd chamber of the the Supreme Court in Iran confirmed the death sentence of Abbas Hosseini
the 33rd chamber of the the Supreme Court in Iran confirmed the death sentence of Abbas Hosseini
DECEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC FOR DOUBLE MURDER
Iran has hanged in public a man convicted of killing a mother and daughter in the southeastern province
- DECEMBER 28, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN ARDEBIL FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
One man has been hanged in the prison of Ardebil (northwestern Iranian province of east-Azarbaijan),
- DECEMBER 25, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO MEN STONED
Houshang Khodadadeh and an unidentified man were stoned by the mullahs' judiciary in Behesht Zahra cemetery in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran.
- DECEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS EIGHT MEN AND ONE WOMAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged nine convicted murderers, including a woman, in a Tehran prison, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
- DECEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. ONE MAN HANGED IN NOSHAHR
a man was hanged in the prison of Noshahr (north of Iran) early today, reported the state run news
- DECEMBER 23, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the General and Revolutionary Court of Zabol in Sistan-Baluchestan Province...
according to the General and Revolutionary Court of Zabol in Sistan-Baluchestan Province...
- DECEMBER 23, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Behnood Shojaee, a juvenile on death row in Iran, is in imminent danger of execution and is to be executed in less than 48 hours
Behnood Shojaee, a juvenile on death row in Iran, is in imminent danger of execution and is to be executed in less than 48 hours
- DECEMBER 21, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in the town of Malayer...
a man was hanged in the town of Malayer...
- DECEMBER 19, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
two men were executed in the Evin prison, Iran.
two men were executed in the Evin prison, Iran.
- DECEMBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN IN QOM
Iran hanged a man in a prison in the religious city of Qom, the government newspaper Iran reported.
- DECEMBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged two men in a prison in the religious city of Qom...
Iran hanged two men in a prison in the religious city of Qom...
DECEMBER 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged two men in a prison in the religious city of Qom after they were convicted of drug trafficking,
- DECEMBER 16, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - RAHELEH ZAMANI SCHEDULED TO BE EXECUTED BY HANGING
Raheleh Zamani, 25, was sentenced to death for murdering her husband two years ago with a steel pipe.
DECEMBER 15, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: MAN HANGED FOR DOUBLE MURDER
a man convicted of killing two people in Iran was hanged in a prison in the northeastern city of Mashhad,
- DECEMBER 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in the northern city of Semnan, the state news agency