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
- 9,142
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 9,142 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
- DECEMBER 12, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a 52-year-old man, by the name of Hossein, was hanged
a 52-year-old man, by the name of Hossein, was hanged
- DECEMBER 12, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
an 18-year-old boy named Bahram was sentenced to death
an 18-year-old boy named Bahram was sentenced to death
- DECEMBER 7, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
one prisoner was hanged in the city of Zabol.
one prisoner was hanged in the city of Zabol.
- DECEMBER 7, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
seven drug traffickers, Abdolmajid Ghafran, Zia-ol Haq Gotraji, Alireza Lavarzehi...
seven drug traffickers, Abdolmajid Ghafran, Zia-ol Haq Gotraji, Alireza Lavarzehi...
- DECEMBER 7, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a man in Shahryar, Iran, was sentenced to death
a man in Shahryar, Iran, was sentenced to death
- DECEMBER 5, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
man by the name of Ababakr Damani was publicly executed
man by the name of Ababakr Damani was publicly executed
- DECEMBER 1, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Aba-Bakr Razi, an Iranian man convicted of murder and armed robbery, was hanged
Aba-Bakr Razi, an Iranian man convicted of murder and armed robbery, was hanged
- DECEMBER 1, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Hossein Hassanvand was hanged
Hossein Hassanvand was hanged
- NOVEMBER 28, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a 19-year-old man was sentenced to death
a 19-year-old man was sentenced to death
- NOVEMBER 27, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a prisoner identified only as Esmaeil K. from Isfahan’s central prison was hanged
a prisoner identified only as Esmaeil K. from Isfahan’s central prison was hanged
- NOVEMBER 23, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
an unnamed man was executed in the city of Isfahan
an unnamed man was executed in the city of Isfahan
- NOVEMBER 23, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a 20-year-old called Payam Erfani-Nejad died as the result of beatings
a 20-year-old called Payam Erfani-Nejad died as the result of beatings
- NOVEMBER 17, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Two Iranian men convicted of kidnapping and murdering...
Two Iranian men convicted of kidnapping and murdering about 20 children in the desert south of Tehran were sentenced to be hanged in public at the scene of their crimes
- NOVEMBER 17, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the Iranian state media reported that the judiciary had sentenced Mehdi
the Iranian state media reported that the judiciary had sentenced Mehdi
- NOVEMBER 16, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
chances that Hamid Pourmand—a Protestant convert from Islam—will be sentenced to death
chances that Hamid Pourmand—a Protestant convert from Islam—will be sentenced to death
- NOVEMBER 16, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran's hardline judiciary sentenced a 16-year-old boy to death
Iran's hardline judiciary sentenced a 16-year-old boy to death
- NOVEMBER 12, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Kaveh Habibi-Nejad, a 14-year-old schoolboy from Sanandaj died
Kaveh Habibi-Nejad, a 14-year-old schoolboy from Sanandaj died
- NOVEMBER 12, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Eshrat Shayeq, Majlis deputy from Tabriz, said one of the...
Eshrat Shayeq, Majlis deputy from Tabriz, said one of the...
- NOVEMBER 10, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iranian officials in the town of Babol (northern Iran) paraded a young man
Iranian officials in the town of Babol (northern Iran) paraded a young man
- NOVEMBER 8, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
A man identified as Mousa, 40 and his son Rasul, 17,...
A man identified as Mousa, 40 and his son Rasul, 17, have been sentenced to death by hanging for rape, to be carried out publicly
- NOVEMBER 7, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the Iranian state media reported that a female law student was sentenced to death
the Iranian state media reported that a female law student was sentenced to death
- NOVEMBER 3, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the Iranian state media reported that a 24-year-old woman, named Tayyebeh, was sentenced to death
the Iranian state media reported that a 24-year-old woman, named Tayyebeh, was sentenced to death
- OCTOBER 28, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
The European Parliament expressed alarm at the deterioration...
The European Parliament expressed alarm at the deterioration in the area of human rights in Iran, in particular those relating to press freedom and the death penalty
- OCTOBER 26, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
agents of Iran’s State Security Forces (SSF) raided a house-party
agents of Iran’s State Security Forces (SSF) raided a house-party
- OCTOBER 26, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a student by the name of Soroush Farhadian was sentenced to one year prison
a student by the name of Soroush Farhadian was sentenced to one year prison
- OCTOBER 26, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
an Iranian court sentenced a young man by the name of Mehdi to death
an Iranian court sentenced a young man by the name of Mehdi to death
- OCTOBER 25, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
at least 150 people have been arrested over the past two days
at least 150 people have been arrested over the past two days
- OCTOBER 24, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the sentence for a 25-year-old man has been upheld.
the sentence for a 25-year-old man has been upheld.
- OCTOBER 23, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the case of Hatam Gorgi's death sentence has been referred
the case of Hatam Gorgi's death sentence has been referred
- OCTOBER 23, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
two men by the names of Jalil N. and Ali N. were sentenced
two men by the names of Jalil N. and Ali N. were sentenced