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
- JANUARY 5, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
a 22-year-old woman, identified only by her first name Afsaneh...
a 22-year-old woman, identified only by her first name Afsaneh...
- JANUARY 4, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. THREE CONVICTED ‘SERIAL KILLERS’ HANGED
three convicted serial killers were hanged in Tehran's Evin prison.
- JANUARY 1, 2006IranDEATH PENALTY
Offences punishable by death include:
Offences punishable by death include:
- DECEMBER 29, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Eskandar Meraji,
Eskandar Meraji,
- DECEMBER 28, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
two Iranians convicted of armed robbery were hanged
two Iranians convicted of armed robbery were hanged
- DECEMBER 28, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Yarmohammad Samadi,
Yarmohammad Samadi,
- DECEMBER 27, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran’s State Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for a teenage woman accused of murdering
Iran’s State Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for a teenage woman accused of murdering
- DECEMBER 27, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Iranian authorities hanged a young man in the Kurdish town of Saqqez, Iran
Iranian authorities hanged a young man in the Kurdish town of Saqqez, Iran
- DECEMBER 25, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran’s Supreme Court upheld a death sentence against a young woman.
Iran’s Supreme Court upheld a death sentence against a young woman.
- DECEMBER 20, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN UNION. EU CONDEMNS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN IRAN
the European Union condemned Iran for continued human rights abuses. In a statement issued by the British presidency, the 25-member bloc said greater respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms was essential to improve relations between the EU and I
- DECEMBER 20, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. GANG MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN IRAN'S MAZANDARAN PROVINCE
the director-general of the Mazandaran Province's Public and Revolution Courts...
DECEMBER 20, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. THREE YOUNG MEN HANGED IN PUBLIC
Iranian authorities publicly hanged three men all in their twenties in the town of Sabzevar, north-east Iran, the state-run Fars news agency reported.
- DECEMBER 19, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Zabihollah Mahrami, an Iranian of the Bahai faith, died in his jail cell of unknown causes
Zabihollah Mahrami, an Iranian of the Bahai faith, died in his jail cell of unknown causes
- DECEMBER 18, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. MAN ESCAPES NOOSE FOLLOWING PARDON
an Iranian national, only identified as Morteza, escaped the noose after winning the forgiveness of relatives of his victim.
- DECEMBER 18, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
a man, named Aziz, was hanged for murder in Iran.
a man, named Aziz, was hanged for murder in Iran.
DECEMBER 18, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. CONVICTED MURDER HANGED IN TEHRAN
an Iranian national -- only identified as a youth named Mohsen -- was hanged inside Tehran's Evin prison.
DECEMBER 18, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. MAN HANGED FOR KILLING BROTHER
Ali Babai-Pour was hanged in Tehran, Iran, for killing his brother after an argument.
DECEMBER 13, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. EIGHT CHILD OFFENDERS EXECUTED THIS YEAR
“Iran has executed at least eight juvenile offenders so far this year, two of whom were still under 18 at the time they were executed”, Amnesty International said in a statement.
DECEMBER 13, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. TWO YOUTHS SENTENCED TO EXECUTION
Iran’s State Supreme Court upheld sentences for two young men to be hanged in the Iranian capital Tehran, a state-run daily reported.
- DECEMBER 10, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. YOUNG MAN HANGED IN TEHRAN
a young man was hanged in the Iranian capital Tehran, the state-run news agency ISNA reported.
- DECEMBER 10, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in a prison in the city of Qazvin...
a man was hanged in a prison in the city of Qazvin...
DECEMBER 10, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. IRAN PUBLICLY HANGS AFGHAN FOR CRIME COMMITTED AS MINOR
Iran publicly hanged Rostam Tajik, an Afghan national, for a crime he was alleged to have committed as a minor.
- DECEMBER 7, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. YOUNG WOMAN HANGED IN PRISON
a young Iranian woman was hanged in prison in the north-eastern town of Shirevan.
- DECEMBER 7, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
two young men were publicly hanged near the central city of Arak
two young men were publicly hanged near the central city of Arak
- DECEMBER 7, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
an Iranian man accused of fatally shooting a member of Iran’s paramilitary State Security Forces...
an Iranian man accused of fatally shooting a member of Iran’s paramilitary State Security Forces...
- NOVEMBER 30, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the www.komitedefa.org website, during the month of November...
according to the www.komitedefa.org website, during the month of November...
- NOVEMBER 30, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the ”Iranian Human Rights Activist Groups in EU and North America...
according to the ”Iranian Human Rights Activist Groups in EU and North America...
NOVEMBER 23, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. SUPREME COURT SENTENCES WOMAN TO HANGING
Iran’s State Supreme Court upheld a death sentence against a woman, state dailies reported.
- NOVEMBER 19, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran denounced as politically motivated a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly
Iran denounced as politically motivated a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly
- NOVEMBER 18, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
UNITED NATIONS. UN VOICES SERIOUS CONCERN ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN IRAN
the UN General Assembly passed a resolution expressing "serious concern" about human rights violations in Iran, including the use of torture and public executions, and called on Tehran to end the abuses.