The number of executions in Iran in 2025 more than doubled compared to the number of executions that occurred nationwide in 2024.
The Norway-based Iranian Human Rights Organization (IHR) told the BBC it had confirmed at least 1,500 executions by early December, adding that more had been carried out since then.
Last year, IHR was able to confirm 975 executions. However, the exact figures are not entirely clear as Iranian authorities do not provide official figures.
However, the analysis showed another significant annual increase, and these figures are consistent with figures provided by other monitoring groups.
The Iranian government has previously defended the use of the death penalty, saying it is limited to “the most serious crimes.”
The number of executions was already rising even before mass protests erupted across the country in 2022 following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.
A 22-year-old Kurdish woman was detained by Tehran’s morality police on suspicion of wearing the hijab ‘inappropriately’.
The protest movement has been the biggest challenge to the legitimacy of Iran’s theocratic leadership in years.
In response, authorities stepped up the execution rate from about 520 in 2022 to 832 the following year. According to figures confirmed by the IHR.
Although there have been cases of executions for protesters or suspected spies, 99% of those executed were for murder or drug offenses, a percentage that has remained constant.
Activists say execution rates increase when the Iranian regime feels threatened, with the goal of instilling fear in the population and preventing internal opposition.
This appears to be supported by the fact that Iran’s proxy forces have suffered major setbacks across the region since the 12-day war with Israel last June.
