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
JUNE 27, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY71 KIDS ON DEATH ROW IN IRAN
Amnesty International appealed to Iran to stop executing children and those who committed their crimes
- JUNE 26, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran executed a man, ISNA reported.
Iran executed a man, ISNA reported.
JUNE 22, 2007IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. EXECUTIONS OF MINORS HAS 'PRACTICALLY STOPPED'
The execution of people under the age of 18 has "practically stopped" in Iran and the government is
- JUNE 21, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged a man convicted of drug trafficking in a prison in the town of Karaj...
JUNE 21, 2007IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran has publicly hanged a man convicted of murder in the western city of Khorramabad,
- JUNE 20, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran has hanged a convicted drug trafficker in public in the southern city of Shiraz in Fars province, a newspaper reported.
- JUNE 20, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN STAYS EXECUTION BY STONING
Iranian authorities have halted the planned stoning to death of a man and woman convicted of adultery following international protests.
JUNE 20, 2007IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN LEADS THE WORLD IN EXECUTING CHILDREN
Iran should immediately suspend the use of the death penalty for crimes committed by
JUNE 16, 2007IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. FOUR HANGED FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran hanged four men convicted of drug trafficking in the southern
- JUNE 13, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified only as Masood A., has been sentenced...
a man, identified only as Masood A., has been sentenced...
- JUNE 13, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran has hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking in the city of Karaj west of Tehran...
Iran has hanged two men convicted of drug trafficking in the city of Karaj west of Tehran...
- JUNE 13, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS TWO FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
Iran has hanged two for drug trafficking in Tehran's Evin prison, Tehran Emrooz newspaper reported.
- JUNE 13, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS THREE FOR MURDER
Iran has hanged three men for murder in Tehran's Evin prison, Tehran Emrooz newspaper reported.
JUNE 13, 2007IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. DEATH PENALTY FOR PORN VIDEO MAKERS
Iran's parliament voted in favor of a bill that could lead to death penalty for persons convicted of working in
JUNE 13, 2007IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. DEATH PENALTY REQUEST BY NOBEL LAUREATE ATTORNEY SPARKS CRITICISM
The news that a young man has been executed in Tehran for raping and killing a woman has been met with
- JUNE 12, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified as Golamhossein...
a man, identified as Golamhossein...
- JUNE 10, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. PUBLICLY HANGED FOR MURDER
Iran has publicly hanged a man convicted of murder in the southern city of Kazeroun, the governmental Iran
- JUNE 10, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran publicly hanged a man convicted of murder in the northern province of Golestan, the official IRNA news agency reported.
- JUNE 8, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Ali Arbabi was hanged in a prison in the town of Iranshahr...
Ali Arbabi was hanged in a prison in the town of Iranshahr...
- JUNE 6, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
five men were hanged in Iran for Hooliganism.
five men were hanged in Iran for Hooliganism.
- JUNE 1, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a political prisoner, Mohamad Jaberi...
a political prisoner, Mohamad Jaberi...
- MAY 31, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a woman, identified only as Massoomeh...
a woman, identified only as Massoomeh...
MAY 31, 2007IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. CHILD RAPISTS PUBLICLY HANGED
Iran publicly hanged two men convicted of raping and murdering young girls in the northern Mazandaran province
- MAY 30, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
the mullahs’ Fars news agency reported the hanging...
the mullahs’ Fars news agency reported the hanging...
- MAY 28, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR 'TERRORISM'
Iran hanged a member of a "terrorist" group in a restive border province...
- MAY 28, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN PUBLICLY HANGS MAN FOR MURDER
Iran publicly hanged a man convicted of murder in the southern Fars province.
- MAY 27, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS FOUR FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING
four men convicted of smuggling 600 kilos of opium were hanged in the town of Birjand...
- MAY 27, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
Sa`id Qanbar Zahi was executed in prison in the city of Zahedan.
Sa`id Qanbar Zahi was executed in prison in the city of Zahedan.
- MAY 27, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
a political prisoner, Mohamad Ali Jafarzadeh...
a political prisoner, Mohamad Ali Jafarzadeh...
- MAY 25, 2007IranDEATH PENALTY
ISNA news agency reported the execution of a man in Shiraz...
ISNA news agency reported the execution of a man in Shiraz...
