Iran (Islamic Republic of)

RetentionistLegal status of the death penalty*
5000Number of individuals currently under sentence of death
553Executions in 2022
290Executions in 2021
246Executions in 2020

2022Last known execution
Shooting, Stoning, HangingMethod(s) of execution
YesParty to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
NoParty to the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty
Not applicableParty to the American Convention on Human Rights
Not applicableParty to the Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty
NoUN Moratorium Resolution (2010): cosponsor
AgainstUN Moratorium Resolution (2010): vote
YesUN Moratorium Resolution (2010): has signed the Note Verbale of Dissociation
NoUN Moratorium Resolution (2012): cosponsor
AgainstUN Moratorium Resolution (2012): vote
YesUN Moratorium Resolution (2012): has signed the Note Verbale of Dissociation
UnclearDoes the country have a mandatory death penalty?
2023-05-23Last update


Source: Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide
*Source of classification: Amnesty International

Related document(s)

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The Death Penalty for Drug Offences: Global Overview 2024 report provides updates on legislative, policy and practical developments related to the use of capital punishment for drug offences, a practice which is a clear violation of international human rights and drug control standards. This report presents an analysis of key developments, with a focus on analysing and disseminating available figures and trends on drug-related executions and death sentences.

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Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran 2024

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The Report provides an in-depth analysis of death penalty trends in Iran 2024. It covers execution statistics, legislative frameworks, and the abolitionist movement, offering insights on how the international community can help reduce executions.

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Women and the Death Penalty in Iran: A Gendered Perspective

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This comprehensive report by Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) explores the gendered dimensions of the death penalty in Iran, highlighting systemic inequalities, discriminatory laws, and societal factors that disproportionately affect women on death row. Between 2010 and 2024, at least 241 women were executed, with only 26% of cases officially reported. Many were sentenced under circumstances marked by domestic violence, coerced confessions, or lack of legal representation. The report underscores the urgent need for international advocacy to address these injustices and promote gender equality in Iran’s judicial system.

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Document(s)

Qarchak Prison Report: Hell for Women and Children in Iran

By Iran Human Rights, on 10 December 2024


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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) has released a detailed report exposing the inhumane conditions at Qarchak Prison in Iran, a facility originally designed as a poultry farm. The prison detains over 2,000 women and children in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, with a lack of healthcare, contaminated drinking water, and inadequate nutrition. Children, some born in the prison, are exposed to severe hardships, including unhygienic environments, insufficient food, and inadequate medical care, and are often separated from their mothers at the age of two.

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Members

Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for the Promotion of Human Rights and Democracy in Iran
Association for the Right to Live
Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI)
Iran Human Rights
Kurdistan Human Rights Association-Geneva (KMMK-G)
Kurdistan Human Rights Network
Kurdpa's logo Kurdpa Human Rights Organization
Youth and Justice Lab, Carleton University, Law and Legal Studies Department Youth and Justice Lab, Carleton University, Law and Legal Studies Department

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