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
DECEMBER 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: TWO HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Two men were hanged in the prison of Tabas (Khorasan province, eastern Iran) in the morning, reported
- DECEMBER 10, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in a prison in the southern city of Kazeroun, Quds newspaper
- DECEMBER 7, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRANIAN AUTHORITIES HANGED ONE MAN FOR FEW MINUTES, AND THEN SENT HIM TO A HOSPITAL FOR RESUSCITATION
One man was hanged for few minutes, and then sent to a hospital early today, reported the official Iranian news agency IRNA.
- DECEMBER 7, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
TWO PRISONERS SENTENCED TO BE THROWN OFF A CLIFF
the Mullahs' judiciary in Iran sentenced two young men to death by being thrown off of a
- DECEMBER 6, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged three men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan
- DECEMBER 3, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
DOUBLE KILLER HANGED IN IRAN
A man convicted of killing two people was hanged in prison in the central city of Isfahan, Iran.
- DECEMBER 3, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Reza Alinejad, the minor offender who was sentenced to death...
Reza Alinejad, the minor offender who was sentenced to death...
- DECEMBER 2, 2008KuwaitDEATH PENALTY
UAE EXTRADITES IRANIAN FUGITIVE ON DEATH SENTENCE TO KUWAIT
the security authorities in the United Arab Emirates handed over to the Kuwaiti authorities an Iranian man who had earlier been sentenced to death by hanging, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.
NOVEMBER 30, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYCOUPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH IN IRAN
A pregnant woman and her husband were sentenced to death in Iran under charges of drug trafficking,
- NOVEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan, Fars news
NOVEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN SENTENCES THREE TO DEATH FOR MOSQUE BOMBING
Iran has sentenced three men convicted of a mosque bombing which left 14 people dead in the
NOVEMBER 29, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN CONFIRMS STONING SENTENCE AGAINST ADULTERESS
Iran's Supreme Court confirmed a sentence of death by stoning against a woman convicted of adultery in
- NOVEMBER 26, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: IMMINENT EXECUTION OF FARZAD KAMANGAR
Farzad Kamangar, the Iranian Kurdish teacher and social worker sentenced to death on, according to his lawyer, "absolutely zero evidence", could be hanged on November 26, 2008 ITUC warned.
NOVEMBER 26, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS 10 MURDERERS IN MASS EXECUTION
Iran hanged nine men and a woman convicted of murder in Tehran's Evin prison, the Fars news agency reported.
- NOVEMBER 25, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man convicted of murder in a prison in the western city of Borujerd. The Kayhan newspaper
- NOVEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED IN PRISON FOR MURDER
Iran executed a man convicted of murder in a prison in the western city of Shahr-e Kord, the
- NOVEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in the central prison of Mashad...
a man was hanged in the central prison of Mashad...
NOVEMBER 24, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. THREE HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged three men convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the
- NOVEMBER 23, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: FOUR PRISONERS TRANSFERRED TO SOLITARY FOR HANGING
four prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their execution at a later date in the notorious Gohardasht prison, 40 kilometer west of Tehran, Iran.
- NOVEMBER 21, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: CHILD OFFENDER FACING EXECUTION
Iranian child offender Reza Alinejad is at imminent risk of execution for a crime he committed at the age of 17, Amnesty International claimed.
- NOVEMBER 20, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
an Iranian man convicted of drug trafficking was hanged in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, a newspaper reported.
- NOVEMBER 17, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS A MAN FOR MURDER
Iran hanged a man according to a Fars news agency report.
NOVEMBER 17, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYMAN HANGED IN IRAN FOR ALLEGEDLY SPYING FOR ISRAEL
Iran executed a man convicted of spying for Israel, a judiciary spokesman said. Al
NOVEMBER 14, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYYEMEN: IRANIAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR DRUG-TRAFFICKING
a court in Sanaa, Yemen, sentenced an Iranian to death for drug tra
- NOVEMBER 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
the semi-official newspaper Jomhury reported that...
the semi-official newspaper Jomhury reported that...
NOVEMBER 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN HANGS TWO FOR OFFICIAL'S MURDER
Iran hanged two men convicted of murdering a government official in the northern province of Gilan, the
- NOVEMBER 10, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. ANOTHER EXECUTION
Iran executed a 27 year old man convicted of murder in a prison in the western city of Shahr-e Kord, the Fars news agency reported
- NOVEMBER 8, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN TOUGHENS RULES FOR CARRYING ILLEGAL ARMS
the head of the Revolution and Public Prosecutor of the provincial capital Zahedan, Marziyeha, in the
- NOVEMBER 7, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO HANGED FOR MURDERING CHILD
Two men found guilty of kidnapping and murdering a nine-year-old boy on Iran's Gulf island of Kish have
- NOVEMBER 7, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: MAN HANGED IN MASHAD
One man was hanged in Mashad, capital of northeastern Iranian province of Khorasan, reported the Iranian