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
- SEPTEMBER 16, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
the death sentence for a young man who had killed his wife in a domestic dispute...
the death sentence for a young man who had killed his wife in a domestic dispute...
SEPTEMBER 14, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. CONVICTED MURDERER HANGED
Ali Fesahat, an Iranian man convicted of murder, was hanged in a prison in the central province of Yazd, for murdering 22-year-old Ahmad Kheyrandish.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE TO CONTINUE, EUROPEAN COMMISSION
the European Commission shares in the concern on the human rights situation in Iran, particularly with regards to the death penalty, but does not indent to interrupt the politics of constructive dialogue with the regime.
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN TO HANG 19-YEAR-OLD MOTHER
a young Iranian mother was sentenced to execution in the town of Langaroud, northern Iran, the semi-official daily Jomhouri Islami reported.
- SEPTEMBER 12, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran daily reported that death sentences were issued for three persons
Iran daily reported that death sentences were issued for three persons
SEPTEMBER 12, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. YOUNG MAN HANGED IN PUBLIC FOR TEENAGE CRIME
a young man was hanged in public in the southern town of Kazeroun, in Fars Province, for a crime he had committed when he was a minor.
- SEPTEMBER 11, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
a Tehran penal court sentenced, a young woman, to death.
a Tehran penal court sentenced, a young woman, to death.
SEPTEMBER 7, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. KURDISH ACTIVIST HANGED IN PRISON
Mohammad Panj-Bini and Esmail Mohammadi, twoiranian Kurdish activists, were hanged in a prison in the town of Orumieh, northwest Iran, for their opposition to the Iranian regime, opposition websites reported.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2005AfghanistanDEATH PENALTYIRAN SENTENCES MAN TO EXECUTION, WOMAN TO FLOGGING AND JAIL
a court in Iran sentenced a woman to 100 lashes and 15 years jail time and an Afghan man to execution on charges of murder, Persian-language websites reported.
SEPTEMBER 3, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. ISMAYIL MUHEMEDI EXECUTED BY THE IRANIAN AUTHORITIES
the Iranian authorities’ executed the Kurdish political prisoner Ismayil Muhemedi, his brother was reported as telling local media.
- AUGUST 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...
AUGUST 29, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. SHAHROUDI CALLS FOR SPEEDY EXECUTION OF CRIMINALS
the head of Iran’s Judiciary called harsh and speedy punishments for individuals convicted of a variety of organised crimes, many of which carry the death penalty.
- AUGUST 25, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. EXECUTION PLEA OVER IRAN YOUTHS
Amnesty International called on Iran to halt the execution of two teenagers following their convictions for murder.
- AUGUST 24, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. FOUR YOUNG IRANIANS HANGED PUBLICLY
four Iranian men convicted of robbery, kidnapping and rape -- at least one of whom was under the age of 18 -- were hanged publicly in the southern port of Bandar Abbas, the Kayhan newspaper said.
- AUGUST 24, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
a seventeen-year-old musician in Iran is facing imminent execution in public
a seventeen-year-old musician in Iran is facing imminent execution in public after his death sentence was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court, Etemaad daily reported.
- AUGUST 23, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. COURT CONDEMNS TO DEATH FOUR ABDUCTORS OF FEMALE GYNAECOLOGIST
the Islamic Revolution Court of Kerman, Iran, condemned to death by hanging four abductors of a female doctor.
AUGUST 23, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN. 43 HANGINGS AND DEATH SENTENCES SINCE AHMADINEJAD'S ELECTION
since the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the mullahs' regime has resorted to a frenzied wave of public hangings and death decrees, the National Council of Resistance of Iran said in a statement.
- AUGUST 20, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. CONVICTED ARMED ROBBER HANGED
Mousa Mohsenipour, an Iranian man convicted of armed robbery, drug trafficking and kidnapping was hanged in a prison in the southern Iranian port of Bandar Abbas
- AUGUST 15, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
the daily Sharq and the State controlled news agency Fars...
the daily Sharq and the State controlled news agency Fars...
- AUGUST 14, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. CONVICTED MURDERER HANGED PUBLICLY
an Iranian man convicted of murdering an elderly couple was hanged publicly in the central town of Arak, the Iran daily reported.
- AUGUST 14, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
two men, M. Akbar and K. Amir were executed in Ahwaz, Iran
two men, M. Akbar and K. Amir were executed in Ahwaz, Iran
- AUGUST 13, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. CONVICTED MURDERER HANGED
an Iranian man convicted of murdering a fellow prisoner during an escape attempt in July was hanged at a jail in the southwestern city of Shiraz, the Etemad newspaper reported.
- AUGUST 11, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. CONVICTED MURDERER HANGED
an Iranian man who was convicted of murdering a soldier and was known only by his nickname, "The Runaway Shadow," was been hanged in Tehran, the Iran daily reported.
- AUGUST 11, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
FRANCE. PARIS PROTEST OVER IRANIAN HANGING OF TWO GAY TEENAGERS
some 150 protestors rallied in central Paris to condemn the July 19 execution of two teenagers who were sentenced to public hanging in Iran because they were gay, event organizers said. Gathered in front of the Pompidou Centre, demonstrators chanted "Iran
- AUGUST 10, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Sharq daily wrote that three men, Amir-Reza, Mehdi and Akbar, were hanged in Tehran on the charge of murder.
Sharq daily wrote that three men, Amir-Reza, Mehdi and Akbar, were hanged in Tehran on the charge of murder.
- AUGUST 9, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
the state-controlled daily Etemad reported that three persons...
the state-controlled daily Etemad reported that three persons...
- AUGUST 8, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran’s Supreme Court has given the green light for the hanging of a 16-year-old schoolboy in Tehran
Iran’s Supreme Court has given the green light for the hanging of a 16-year-old schoolboy in Tehran
- JULY 31, 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...
JULY 31, 2005IranDEATH PENALTYHOLLAND-SWEDEN. GAY EXTRADITIONS TO IRAN BLOCKED
the Netherlands has become the second country to halt extraditions of gays to Iran in the wake of reports two gay teens were hanged after being found found "guilty of homosexuality".
- JULY 28, 2005IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. HANGING OF TEENAGERS VIOLATES INTL LAW, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
Iran's executions of juvenile offenders on July 19 violated international law, Human Rights Watch said. The organization condemned the public hangings of two teenagers, aged 18 and 16, after they were found guilty of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy