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
- 9,218
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 9,218 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
- MARCH 20, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a young man faced gallows for an alleged crime he committed...
a young man faced gallows for an alleged crime he committed...
MARCH 19, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. NEW DEATH PENALTY FOR KURDISH JOURNALIST
A young Kurdish journalist has been condemned to death in Iran for the second
MARCH 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. WOMAN WITH DEATH SENTENCE RELEASED WITH SON
Mokarrameh Ebrahimi, the woman who was sentenced to stoning to death for
- MARCH 13, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
UK. PEERS LOBBY SMITH TO HALT DEPORTATION OF GAY IRANIAN
more than 60 peers have signed a letter to the Home Secretary urging the UK
MARCH 13, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYUK. VICTORY FOR KAZEMI AS HOME SECRETARY HALTS DEPORTATION TO IRAN
a gay teenager who faces the death penalty if he is forced to return to Iran won a
- MARCH 13, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTY
GAY IRANIAN. EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: NO TO EXPULSION TO IRAN
the European Parliament approved the urgent resolution promoted by the Radical
- MARCH 12, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the Iranian daily Etemaad-e-melli...
according to the Iranian daily Etemaad-e-melli...
- MARCH 11, 2008United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
NETHERLANDS. DUTCH COURT REJECTS APPEAL BY GAY IRANIAN MAN
the Council of State, the Netherlands' highest administrative court, rejected an
MARCH 7, 2008United KingdomDEATH PENALTYIRANIAN LESBIAN WHO FLED TO BRITAIN FACES DEPORTATION
an Iranian lesbian who fled to Britain after her girlfriend was arrested and
- MARCH 4, 2008AfghanistanDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO HANGED FOR MURDER
Iran hanged two men convicted of murder, one of them an Afghan, in
MARCH 3, 2008NetherlandsDEATH PENALTYGAY IRANIAN. RADICALS ASK DUTCH EU REPRESENTATIVE TO INTERVENE
Radical European Parliamentarians Marco Cappato and Marco Pannella asked
MARCH 3, 2008ItalyDEATH PENALTYNETHERLANDS. DECISION TO REPATRIATE GAY IRANIAN POSTPONED TO MARCH 5
in Rotterdam this morning, a Dutch judge met Seyed Mehdi Kazemi, the
- FEBRUARY 28, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
l’Organizzazione iraniana per i diritti umani delle Minoranze ha reso noto che
l’Organizzazione iraniana per i diritti umani delle Minoranze ha reso noto che
- FEBRUARY 28, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
two members of the Kurdish minority in Iran, identified as Ali Heydarian and Farhad Vakili
two members of the Kurdish minority in Iran, identified as Ali Heydarian and Farhad Vakili
- FEBRUARY 27, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
in Iran five teenagers were sentenced...
in Iran five teenagers were sentenced...
- FEBRUARY 26, 2008NetherlandsDEATH PENALTY
NETHERLANDS. AUTHORITIES BLOCK MEHDI’S TRANSFER TO UK
the Dutch authorities blocked the transfer of gay Iranian youth Mehdi Kazemi
FEBRUARY 26, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. A YOUNG MAN HANGED FOR A CRIME HE COMMITTED AT 16
The mullahs' regime hanged a young man identified as Javad Shojaii accused of a crime committed when he was 16, the state-run daily Etemad reported.
FEBRUARY 26, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYEU ATTACKS IRAN'S NEW PENAL CODE
the European Union criticised the new penal code being drafted in Iran,
- FEBRUARY 25, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. KURDISH TEACHER SENTENCED TO DEATH
Branch 30 of Iran's Revolutionary Court sentenced Kurdish teacher Farzad
- FEBRUARY 25, 2008United KingdomDEATH PENALTY
UK. NO TO DEPORTATION OF GAY IRANIAN YOUTH
in the next few hours the gay Iranian youth Mehdi Kazemi will
FEBRUARY 22, 2008IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. DEATH SENTENCE ANNULLED AND NEW TRIAL FOR HASSANPOUR
the death sentence of Kurd journalist Adnan Hassanpour was annulled, the
- FEBRUARY 20, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Six people were hanged in the Islamabad prison of Zanjan...
Six people were hanged in the Islamabad prison of Zanjan...
- FEBRUARY 20, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
four convicted murderers were hanged in Tehran's Evin prison
four convicted murderers were hanged in Tehran's Evin prison
- FEBRUARY 19, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Mohammad Latif, 18, whose death sentence had been approved...
Mohammad Latif, 18, whose death sentence had been approved...
- FEBRUARY 19, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
six prisoners, Mohammadreza 30, Majid...
six prisoners, Mohammadreza 30, Majid...
- FEBRUARY 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran hanged two men convicted of murder in a prison in
Iran hanged two men convicted of murder in a prison in
- FEBRUARY 18, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a 30 years old woman, identified as Zahra...
a 30 years old woman, identified as Zahra...
- FEBRUARY 17, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
a death sentence issued by Bench 133 of Mashhad Public
a death sentence issued by Bench 133 of Mashhad Public
- FEBRUARY 17, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the Justice Department of Khorasan Razavi Province
according to the Justice Department of Khorasan Razavi Province
- FEBRUARY 16, 2008IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the official Iranian news agency IRNA...
according to the official Iranian news agency IRNA...