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
- 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
- JULY 27, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Four Iranian men convicted of drug trafficking were...
Four Iranian men convicted of drug trafficking were hanged in a prison in the northern city of Qazvin, the conservative Jomhuri Islami newspaper reported
- JULY 27, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran's Supreme Court revoked a death sentence against...
Iran's Supreme Court revoked a death sentence against Afsaneh Norouzi, a woman who killed an intelligence officer she says tried to rape her, her lawyer said
- JULY 26, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
An Iranian man convicted of murdering a university...
An Iranian man convicted of murdering a university student was hanged publicly near Tehran, drawing loud cheers from a crowd of some 1,000 people who turned out to watch the execution
- JULY 26, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a woman and two men were flogged in public in Shahin Dezh
a woman and two men were flogged in public in Shahin Dezh
- JULY 25, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
An Iranian man identified as Musa Noori, convicted...
An Iranian man identified as Musa Noori, convicted of murdering a pilgrim in August 2003, was been hanged in Dehloran in the western Iranian province of Ilam, the Jomhuri Islami newspaper reported
- JULY 25, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the judicial system in Karaj issued the death sentence of a young man
the judicial system in Karaj issued the death sentence of a young man
- JULY 24, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iranian dissident Hashem Aghajari, sentenced to five...
Iranian dissident Hashem Aghajari, sentenced to five years in jail for insulting Islam, complained that a portion of his sentence was almost as bad as the death sentence initially imposed on him
- JULY 21, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN. SIX PEOPLE HANGED, REPORTS
Arshad-ollah and Mohammad Ali were put to death on July 10
- JULY 20, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iranian dissident Hashem Aghajari, sentenced to death...
Iranian dissident Hashem Aghajari, sentenced to death in 2002 for blasphemy, was been handed a five-year jail term following his re-trial
- JULY 20, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
reports from Mashad says the anti-vice patrols
reports from Mashad says the anti-vice patrols
- JULY 19, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the Iranian state-controlled media reported that three prisoners were hanged.
the Iranian state-controlled media reported that three prisoners were hanged.
- JULY 17, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was sentenced to death in Tehran
a man was sentenced to death in Tehran
- JULY 14, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a prisoner was hanged at Khazar Square in the city of Sari, northern Iran.
a prisoner was hanged at Khazar Square in the city of Sari, northern Iran.
- JULY 13, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
It was reported that Mahmud Kazeminia, convicted of...
It was reported that Mahmud Kazeminia, convicted of killing a man of 17 with the intention of stealing his motorcycle, was brought down from the gallows after he confessed to another murder before his sentence of hanging was carried out in Dezful, Iran