71 Executions Recorded in July; At Least 444 Hanged in Iran in 2026

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 6 August 2026: At least 71 people were executed in July 2026, including 36 for murder, 26 for drug-related offences, eight for security-related charges and one for rape. Six protesters were amongst those executed in July. In the first seven months of 2026, IHRNGO has recorded 444 executions, including 12 women, 17 foreign nationals and 80 ethnic minorities. The 2026 executions also include 28 protesters (26 from the January protests and two from “Woman, Life, Freedom”), 13 political prisoners affiliated with banned opposition groups and 12 espionage defendants.

Hundreds of protesters, including over 70 in Isfahan alone, are currently facing the death penalty in Iran. IHRNGO continues to raise the alarm over the escalation of political prisoner executions.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of the organisation, stated: “We are deeply concerned that the ongoing military conflict between the Islamic Republic, the United States and Israel will be used to intensify executions under the pretext of national security. The international community must respond with stronger and more coordinated pressure against the Islamic Republic’s use of the death penalty.”

According to data verified by Iran Human Rights, the Islamic Republic of Iran executed at least 71 people in July, bringing the total number of executions recorded in the first seven months of 2026 to at least 444. IHRNGO has also received reports of more than 400 additional executions that have not been verified and are therefore not included in these statistics. The organisation only includes execution cases that include sufficient documentation, or are confirmed by two independent sources.
 

January to July 2026 executions at a glance:

• At least 444 people were executed between 1 January and 31 July 2026
• Only 67 or 15% of the recorded executions were announced by official sources. The remaining 377 executions were verified through two independent sources by IHRNGO
• 227 of those executed, including 4 protesters, were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder
• 143 were on death row for drug-related offences
• 63 people were executed on national security charges. Of those, 24 were protesters, 13 were political prisoners affiliated with banned opposition groups, 12 were accused of espionage and/or collaboration with foreign states, 7 were convicted of armed robbery, 4 were accused of affiliation with ISIS, and three of the cases are unknown
• 10 people were executed for rape charges
• The charges against one woman is unknown
• One of the executed men is believed to have been under the age of 18 at the time of his alleged offence
• 12 of those executed were women (8 for murder charges and 3 for drug-related offences)
• At least 37 Baluch, 34 Kurd and 9 Arab ethnic minorities were amongst those executed
• 15 Afghan and 2 Iraqi nationals were also executed during this period 
• 2 of the executions were carried out publicly

 

Ghezelhesar Prison’s 17-day strike in July

After a seventeen-day strike by people on death row for drug offences in Unit 2 of Ghezelhesar Prison, authorities promised to temporarily halt drug-related executions at the prison. The protest began on 13 July when six drug defendants were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. Following mounting pressure, government officials met with the strikers on 28 July to negotiate. The strike officially ended the following day (29 July) after authorities promised a temporary suspension of drug executions and returned the six men to the general ward.

Welcoming the suspension, IHRNGO called for the temporary halt to be extended into a nationwide moratorium on all drug-related executions across Iran. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam noted that the concession proves authorities will stop carrying out such sentences when the political cost becomes too high.