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
- MAY 6, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
according to reports from the intelligence and foreign relations offices...
according to reports from the intelligence and foreign relations offices...
- MAY 5, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
A 19 year old Iranian woman named as Leila M
A 19 year old Iranian woman named as Leila M
- MAY 5, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer expressed Germany's...
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer expressed Germany's dismay over the confirmation of a death sentence ordered against a dissident Iranian academic Hashem Aghajari
- MAY 4, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iranian university professor Hashem Aghajari vowed...
Iranian university professor Hashem Aghajari vowed he wouldn't appeal against a reinstated death sentence, effectively challenging Iran's judges to execute him for criticizing clerical rule, his lawyer said
- MAY 4, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran's hardline judiciary hastened to play down a provincial...
Iran's hardline judiciary hastened to play down a provincial judge's confirmation of a death sentence for blasphemy on dissident academic Hashem Aghajari, saying the verdict was not final
- MAY 4, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Wife of the jailed university professor Hashem Aghajari...
Wife of the jailed university professor Hashem Aghajari questioned the veracity of the death sentence issued in her husband's case
- MAY 4, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a man was hanged in public at 8 am Sunday
a man was hanged in public at 8 am Sunday
- MAY 4, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran daily reported that a prisoner, 43, was hanged
Iran daily reported that a prisoner, 43, was hanged
- MAY 3, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
An Iranian court reimposed the death sentence for blasphemy...
An Iranian court reimposed the death sentence for blasphemy against university professor and dissident Hashem Aghajari
- MAY 2, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
the Jomhouri-Islami reported that Hassan Pirdadeh Piranvand was hanged in public
the Jomhouri-Islami reported that Hassan Pirdadeh Piranvand was hanged in public
- MAY 2, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a prisoner, named Abolghassem, was hanged in Salman Farsi Street
a prisoner, named Abolghassem, was hanged in Salman Farsi Street
- APRIL 28, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran's hardline judiciary ordered a ban on the use...
Iran's hardline judiciary ordered a ban on the use of torture which human rights groups said the Islamic Republic's security organisations routinely used to extract confessions
- APRIL 27, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
two Iranian men named Zolfali Derebalai and Ali Derebalai were hanged
two Iranian men named Zolfali Derebalai and Ali Derebalai were hanged
- APRIL 27, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
on the order of Judge Hozan presiding the 1089th Branch of the penal court,
on the order of Judge Hozan presiding the 1089th Branch of the penal court,
- APRIL 25, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a number of girls were arrested en masse
a number of girls were arrested en masse
- APRIL 18, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
A man named as Mehdi, 25, was hanged in Rezvanshahr, Iran
A man named as Mehdi, 25, was hanged in Rezvanshahr, Iran
- APRIL 16, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Reporters Without Borders voiced outrage at the UN...
Reporters Without Borders voiced outrage at the UN Human Rights Commission's failure to condemn the Islamic Republic during its 60th session
- APRIL 15, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
The Democratic Party of Kurdistan (DPK) in Iran said...
The Democratic Party of Kurdistan (DPK) in Iran said six of its members were executed in Iran's prisons
- APRIL 15, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
a young man was sentenced to flogging
a young man was sentenced to flogging
- APRIL 14, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Iranian dissident intellectual Hashem Aghajari had...
Iranian dissident intellectual Hashem Aghajari had his four-year jail sentence for insulting religious values dropped, but must await a review of his death sentence for blasphemy before he can hope to be released from prison, Zekrollah Ahmadi, judiciary c
- APRIL 12, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Offences punishable by death include:
Offences punishable by death include:
- APRIL 5, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
According to the information and public relations department...
According to the information and public relations department of the Justice Department of Iran's Khuzestan province, a man named Hadi H
- MARCH 25, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
The European Union warned Tehran on that it had seen...
The European Union warned Tehran on that it had seen little progress in Iran's human rights dossier, which Brussels had effectively made a precondition to improved trade ties
- MARCH 25, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
The European Union warned Tehran on that it had seen...
The European Union warned Tehran on that it had seen little progress in Iran's human rights dossier, which Brussels had effectively made a precondition to improved trade ties
- MARCH 22, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Farhad and Mansur Muhammadi, two Iranian brothers who...
Farhad and Mansur Muhammadi, two Iranian brothers who hijacked a Russian plane to Oslo in 1993, were allowed to remain in Norway temporarily, but would not receive permanent resident permits, the Norwegian government said
- MARCH 15, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the intelligence and public relations department of Khuzistan province...
according to the intelligence and public relations department of Khuzistan province...
- MARCH 14, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
after investigation by the 22nd branch of Ahwaz's public court, Habib Z. was sentenced to death
after investigation by the 22nd branch of Ahwaz's public court, Habib Z. was sentenced to death
- MARCH 13, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
some 40,000 satellite dishes were recently confiscated by Islamist militia
some 40,000 satellite dishes were recently confiscated by Islamist militia
- MARCH 10, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
according to the intelligence and public relations department of Khuzistan province's judiciary...
according to the intelligence and public relations department of Khuzistan province's judiciary...
- MARCH 8, 2004IranDEATH PENALTY
Saadollah Rahimi and Dalir Mohammadi, two Iranians...
Saadollah Rahimi and Dalir Mohammadi, two Iranians convicted of kidnapping and murdering an eight-year-old boy eight days previously, were executed by hanging in the western Kurdish town of Baneh