Iran carried out at least 1,639 executions in 2025, the highest number since 1989, according to Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM).
The figure marks a 68% rise from 975 in 2024 and includes 48 women.IHR said the total is an “absolute minimum,” noting fewer than 7% of executions are officially announced as it requires two independent sources to confirm the execution. On average, more than four people were executed daily.The pace surged late in the year as November saw at least 336 executions, followed by about 376 in December—roughly 12 per day. In one four-day period, 69 people were executed.
Cases were reported across at least 35 cities, underscoring the nationwide scale.Crackdown and political repressionHundreds detained during the January 2026 anti-government protests remain at risk of execution, the groups said. The unrest was crushed in a crackdown that rights organisations say killed thousands and led to mass arrests.
IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said the surge appears aimed at “instilling fear and deterring dissent.”
Even during the conflict involving Israel and the United States, Iran executed seven people linked to the protests, including alleged members of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran.Raphael Chenuil-Hazan, executive director of ECPM, said the death penalty is used as a political tool, disproportionately targeting Kurdish and Baluch minorities. The report cited torture, forced confessions and secret executions without family notice.Patterns, victims and resistanceNearly half of the executions were for drug offences, with reports of group hangings of up to 24 people at once.Women accounted for 48 executions, the highest in over two decades, many linked to abusive domestic situations. At least 21 had been convicted of killing spouses, often in abusive situations. Victims included foreign nationals and individuals aged 18 to 71, with minorities overrepresented.Most executions took place in prisons, though public hangings rose to 11. Hanging remains the primary method.Despite the crackdown, resistance continues. A prisoner-led campaign, “No to Executions Tuesdays,” has run for over 90 weeks.Groups including Amnesty International say Iran carries out more executions than any country except China, where data is unavailable.
