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
OCTOBER 11, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Manouchehr Nazari and Faramarz Akbarpour executed in Gorgan on October 11
- OCTOBER 11, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Sajad Roustayi Hanged in Shiraz on October 11
OCTOBER 9, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Hengaw report: 106 death sentences against protesters, 35 already executed
OCTOBER 8, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - European Parliament Calls on Iran to Revoke Death Sentences of Two Women Protesters
Taraneh Rahimi and Leila Abolhasani
OCTOBER 7, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Abbas Anjamrooz executed in Jiroft on October 7
OCTOBER 7, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ayoub Mohammad Nabil sentenced to death
On espionage charge
- OCTOBER 7, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mohammad Amin Mandani sentenced to death
On espionage charge
OCTOBER 7, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mehdi Alizadeh executed in Adelabad on October 7
- OCTOBER 7, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Unidentified man executed in Ghezel-Hesar on October 7
- OCTOBER 7, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ahmad Nikdel executed in Dezful on October 7
OCTOBER 7, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ahmad Bazvand executed in Khorramabad on October 7
- OCTOBER 7, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Salar Rashidzadeh executed in Yasuj on October 7
- OCTOBER 6, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mohsen Babaeian Sentenced to Death
A ‘protester’
- OCTOBER 6, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Barzou Rezaei Sentenced to Death
A ‘protester’
OCTOBER 5, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Alireza Sepahi and Alireza Raisi executed in Isfahan on October 5
2 ‘protesters’
OCTOBER 5, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Naser Parvaneh executed in Shirvan on October 5
- OCTOBER 4, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mahmoud Alishahi and Samad Hojatpour executed in Shiraz on October 4
OCTOBER 3, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Mostafa Sharifi executed in Urmia on October 3, 2026
OCTOBER 3, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - ‘Protester’ Siavash Jamshidi-Kheirabadi Hanged on October 3
- OCTOBER 1, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Mehdi Nami Sentenced to Death
A ‘protester’
- OCTOBER 1, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 3 'protesters' Sentenced to Death
Khosrow Mohammadiniya, Masoud Tushmalani, and Sirvan Shabani
SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Abbas Amir Gheshlaghi executed in Arak on September 30
SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ali Alizehi and Abdolhamid Shiehaki Executed in Kerman on September 30, 2026
SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Ali Hemmati Sistani and Majid Nikandish executed in Mashhad on September 30
Two ‘protesters’
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - 5 unidentified men executed at Ghezel-Hesar on September 30
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Ayoub Mohammad Nabil sentenced to death
SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN - Abbas Amir-Ghashlaghi hanged in Arak on September 30
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Jahangir Mahmoudi hanged in Rafsanjan on September 30
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Rasoul Karimi executed in Ghezel-Hesar on September 30
- SEPTEMBER 30, 2026IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Hosseinali Baranzehi executed in Gorgan on September 30