Iran carried out at least 1,922 executions in 2025, marking the highest annual total recorded in the past decade and underscoring a sharp escalation in the use of capital punishment. The figures, published by the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), place 2025 well above all other years in the 2015–2025 period. Human rights groups say the scale and consistency of the executions suggest that the death penalty has become an entrenched instrument of state policy rather than an exceptional judicial measure.

According to HRANA, the executions were imposed for a range of offenses, including drug-related crimes, murder, espionage and rape. While Iranian authorities maintain that capital punishment is applied under domestic law, rights organizations argue that the breadth of charges and the pace of executions raise fundamental concerns about due process and proportionality.

HRANA’s “Systematic Policy” Finding

The data are detailed in an 85-page report published by HRANA, which documents what it describes as widespread and ongoing human rights violations across Iran. The report catalogues individual execution cases and aggregates nationwide trends, concluding that the death penalty is being applied in a systematic and non-transparent manner. HRANA said 2025 stands out as the deadliest year for executions since at least 2015, when annual totals were significantly lower.

Human rights advocates cited the lack of independent oversight and limited public disclosure surrounding many of the executions. HRANA noted that a substantial number of death sentences and executions are carried out without timely official announcements, complicating efforts to verify cases and assess compliance with international legal standards.

Demographics of Those Executed

The report also provides a demographic breakdown of those executed in 2025. According to HRANA’s findings, 87 percent of the individuals put to death were men. Women accounted for 3 percent of executions, while the remaining 10 percent involved cases where the individual’s gender could not be conclusively identified based on available information. The data highlight the overwhelmingly male profile of Iran’s death row population, while also confirming that women continue to face capital punishment.

While HRANA did not provide age-specific statistics in the summary findings, rights groups have repeatedly warned that vulnerable populations, including ethnic minorities and economically marginalized individuals, are disproportionately affected by capital punishment in Iran, particularly in drug-related cases.

International Concern Over Transparency

Human rights organizations reacted to the figures by warning that the scale of executions undermines confidence in Iran’s judicial system. Advocacy groups said the widespread use of the death penalty, combined with concerns over access to legal representation and fair trials, deepens questions about adherence to international norms. HRANA stressed that many executions are carried out with limited transparency, making independent verification difficult.

The 2025 figures add to longstanding international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. While Tehran has defended its legal framework as a sovereign matter, the latest data are likely to intensify scrutiny from rights groups and international bodies monitoring capital punishment worldwide.