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 20, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
an Iranian convicted of killing two civilians in a bombin...
an Iranian convicted of killing two civilians in a bombing and a policeman in a shooting has been hanged in the southeastern town of Zabol hard by the Afghan border, official media said.
- JUNE 20, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was executed in Zabol Prison according to state-run news agency Irna.
a man was executed in Zabol Prison according to state-run news agency Irna.
JUNE 15, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. WOMAN AND A MAN HANGED IN SOUTHEASTERN PROVINCE
the Iranian regime hanged a woman and a man in Iranshahr, southeast Iran.
- JUNE 14, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. FOUR ARABS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TERRORISM
four Arabs convicted of unrest in Iran's southeastern oil city of Ahwaz were sentenced to death.
- JUNE 14, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
UNITED NATIONS. UN BODY CONCERNED OVER JUVENILE EXECUTION IN IRAN
the representative of UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, condemned the execution of juveniles in Iran.
JUNE 13, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. FIVE HANGED FOR RAPE AND KIDNAPPING
five Iranian men convicted of kidnapping and rape were hanged in the southern cities of Kerman and Zahedan.
- JUNE 12, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE WOMEN HANGED
three women were reported to have been hanged in Qazvin, west of Tehran.
JUNE 12, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. THREE MEN EXECUTED IN WESTERN IRAN
three men were hanged in city of Qazvin, west of Tehran.
JUNE 12, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. MINOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
a 17 year old boy was sentenced to death in Iran for murder, according to the daily ‘Etemad’.
- JUNE 8, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
Gholam Abbas heydari Poor was hanged in public in Bandar Abbas...
Gholam Abbas heydari Poor was hanged in public in Bandar Abbas...
- JUNE 8, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified only as Panj Ali...
a man, identified only as Panj Ali...
JUNE 5, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. A COUPLE STONED TO DEATH
Iranian authorities have stoned a man and a woman to death, according to a report that has surfaced in Persian-language websites.
JUNE 1, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYHANDS OFF CAIN. ANNULMENT OF SENTENCE WELCOMED, RULING SHOWS TRUTH IN HOC’S DENOUNCEMENT
Hands Off Cain welcomed the Iranian Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the death sentence handed down to Nazanin and to order a retrial due to the emergence of new factors in the case.
- MAY 31, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE HANGED FOR MURDER, RAPE
an Iranian man convicted of murder and two others convicted of rape were hanged in Tehran's Evin prison. The man convicted of murder, identified as Alireza, had driven over and killed three people with his bus. He admitted doing so because he was angry af
- MAY 31, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. NAZANIN DEATH PENALTY OVERTURNED, NEW TRIAL TO BE HELD
the Iranian Supreme Court ordered a new trial for Nazanin, overturning the death sentence handed down to her for having killed her attempted rapist, the 'Sharq' daily reported. Nazanin, who has been imprisoned for over a year, was sentenced to hang in Jan
- MAY 30, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified only as Mohsen M., 22...
a man, identified only as Mohsen M., 22...
- MAY 23, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC FOR ARMED ROBBERY
an Iranian man convicted of armed robbery was hanged in public in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.
- MAY 23, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL BLASTS IRAN’S HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
Amnesty International blasted human rights abuses in Iran in 2005 in its annual report on the state of the world's human rights.
- MAY 23, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran publicly hanged Hamed Parvan...
Iran publicly hanged Hamed Parvan...
- MAY 23, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, identified only as Norooz...
a man, identified only as Norooz...
- MAY 22, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC FOR MURDER
Majid Sogan was hanged in public in the western Iranian city of Khoramabad for stabbing a friend to death two years previously.
- MAY 22, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. TWO CONVICTED MURDERERS HANGED
it was reported that an Iranian woman and a foreign man who were convicted of murder had been hanged in recent days in Iran’s north-eastern province of Khorasan Razavi.
- MAY 22, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED IN PRISON FOR DRUG DEALING
it was reported that an armed narcotics smuggler, Masoud Naroui, was hanged in a prison in the southeastern city of Zahedan.
- MAY 22, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC FOR MURDER
an Iranian man convicted of murder was hanged in public in the southern town of Jahrom.
- MAY 20, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
it was reported that 18-year-old Mehdi was sentenced to death in Iran in March 2006 for killing a man in Robat Karim...
it was reported that 18-year-old Mehdi was sentenced to death in Iran in March 2006 for killing a man in Robat Karim...
- MAY 20, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
it was reported that at the beginning of January 2006 Iran’s Supreme Court rejected...
it was reported that at the beginning of January 2006 Iran’s Supreme Court rejected...
MAY 20, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. MAN HANGED FOR KIDNAPPING AND ARMED ROBBERY
an Iranian man convicted of kidnapping and armed robbery was hanged in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.
- MAY 13, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. RIGHTS GROUP URGES EU TO PRESSURE IRAN TO STOP EXECUTION
a Tehran-based group, Human Rights Activists in Iran, called on the European Union to pressure Iran to suspend the imminent execution of a long-time political prisoner.
MAY 13, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. FIRST KNOWN EXECUTION OF A CHILD OFFENDER IN 2006
Majid Segound, 17-year old, and an unnamed 20-year old male were executed by hanging in Khorramabad, the capital of Iran’s Lorestan province.
MAY 9, 2006IranDEATH PENALTYUNITED KINGDOM. 'I'LL DIE IF YOU SEND ME HOME TO IRAN'
Fatema Torabi, a teacher who fears being stoned to death in Iran after being accused of adultery there appealed to Scottish judges to save her.