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
- AUGUST 22, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the Judicial System issued the death sentence of a man
the Judicial System issued the death sentence of a man
- AUGUST 21, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
an Iranian unnamed man was hanged in public
an Iranian unnamed man was hanged in public
- AUGUST 20, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran has hanged three drug smugglers in a public square...
Iran has hanged three drug smugglers in a public square in the southern province of Kerman, Iran, the Jomhuri-ye Eslami newspaper reported on Saturday
- AUGUST 19, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the death sentence of a man was issued in Tehran
the death sentence of a man was issued in Tehran
- AUGUST 15, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
The Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance...
The Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran said that the clerical regime's henchmen executed a 16-year-old girl in the town of Neka, northern Iran
- AUGUST 15, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
agents of the State Security Forces in Qazvin arrested 41 men
agents of the State Security Forces in Qazvin arrested 41 men
- AUGUST 15, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi, head of the Judiciary confirmed the sentence
Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi, head of the Judiciary confirmed the sentence
- AUGUST 12, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
An Iranian convicted of murdering his father-in-law...
An Iranian convicted of murdering his father-in-law has been hanged in Tehran's main Evin prison, a newspaper reported
- AUGUST 11, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a young boy named Maham was sentenced to death
a young boy named Maham was sentenced to death
- AUGUST 10, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
An Iranian man convicted of murder has been hanged...
An Iranian man convicted of murder has been hanged publicly in Shabankareh, a town in the southern Gulf province of Bushehr, the government daily Iran reported
- AUGUST 9, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a woman and two men were sentenced to death
a woman and two men were sentenced to death
- AUGUST 8, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the judiciary in the western Iranian province of Hamedan has ordered
the judiciary in the western Iranian province of Hamedan has ordered
- AUGUST 8, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
death sentences were issued for a man and a woman
death sentences were issued for a man and a woman
- AUGUST 7, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the head of the Information Center
the head of the Information Center
- AUGUST 6, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
fifty-one women and girls were arrested in Gilan Province
fifty-one women and girls were arrested in Gilan Province
- AUGUST 5, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the mullahs’ henchmen hanged a 29-year-old prisoner by the name of Shah Bakhsh in public
the mullahs’ henchmen hanged a 29-year-old prisoner by the name of Shah Bakhsh in public
- AUGUST 4, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
The secretariat of the National Council of Resistance...
The secretariat of the National Council of Resistance in Iran (NCRI) said the official Iranian news agency IRNA reported on August 4 that the Supreme Court had upheld two death sentences
- AUGUST 4, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
according to a report issued by
according to a report issued by
- AUGUST 3, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Kioumars Nasir Moghadas, an Iranian man convicted of...
Kioumars Nasir Moghadas, an Iranian man convicted of murdering a jeweler in October 2003 was hanged publicly in the western Iranian province of Lorestan, the Ressalat newspaper reported
- AUGUST 3, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
an Iranian man named Saeed Karamshahi was hanged in public on charges of murder.
an Iranian man named Saeed Karamshahi was hanged in public on charges of murder.
- AUGUST 3, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a 50-year-old man named Majid was sentenced to hanging
a 50-year-old man named Majid was sentenced to hanging
- AUGUST 2, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Six prisoners were sentenced to death in Mashad, northeast...
Six prisoners were sentenced to death in Mashad, northeast Iran, the state-controlled daily Jomhouri Islami reported
- AUGUST 2, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
widespread arrests of teenagers are carried out by the State Security Forces
widespread arrests of teenagers are carried out by the State Security Forces
- AUGUST 1, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the judicial system issued the death sentence of a man in Tehran
the judicial system issued the death sentence of a man in Tehran
- JULY 31, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran's leading academic dissident Hashem Aghajari was...
Iran's leading academic dissident Hashem Aghajari was freed on bail on after two years in jail facing the death penalty for telling Iranians not to follow their clerical leaders like "monkeys"
- JULY 31, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
The Iranian regime's media reported that four young...
The Iranian regime's media reported that four young men, Arash, Davoud, Ali and Javad, had been sentenced to death in Mashad, Iran
- JULY 31, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the Public Relations of the Revolutionary Guards Forces announced
the Public Relations of the Revolutionary Guards Forces announced
- JULY 29, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
An Iranian man convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl...
An Iranian man convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl was hanged publicly in a square in the southern city of Kerman, the conservative Jomhuri Islami newspaper reported
- JULY 28, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
one hundred and fifty men and women participating
one hundred and fifty men and women participating
- JULY 28, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the death sentence of Mohammad Reza Heidari was issued by
the death sentence of Mohammad Reza Heidari was issued by