Iran's judiciary executed at least 79 people during Mehr month (September 23–October 23), including two women, on various charges in prisons across the country. According to Iran International, this figure is based not on an official announcement but on a compilation derived from monitoring executions; Iranian authorities do not publish monthly execution statistics.
According to the report, executions were carried out in prisons in different parts of the country, with charges involving drug-related offenses, murder, and other criminal statutes. Iran International noted that most of these executions were carried out without prior public announcement and families were often not informed before the execution date. The report did not share detailed information about the identities of those executed or specifics of their trials; for this reason, the legal grounds of individual cases cannot be independently verified.
Iran International had also reported in early October that at least 70 political prisoners had been executed since the Dey-month protests (related article); that figure covers a different time period and cases linked to political charges, so it is not directly comparable to the Mehr-month tally. Different monitoring organizations report somewhat varying figures on Iran's executions, stemming from the fact that data is based on unofficial sources. According to monthly reports from the Oslo-based organization Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) for 2026, at least 101 executions were recorded in June, at least 71 in July, and at least 82 in August; these figures do not pertain to Mehr and cannot be directly compared to Iran International's 79 figure, but they indicate the same elevated level consistent with the year's overall trend. IHRNGO's Mehr-specific update had not been published at the time this report was prepared.
According to Iran International's report, details of the charges and cases of the executed women were not shared; the organization noted that executions of women prisoners have shown an upward trend in recent years and this is a topic regularly raised by international human rights organizations. The report contained no direct claim that some executions were linked to political charges; the bulk of the figure was classified as drug and criminal offenses.
The report further noted that executions have not decreased compared to earlier months of the year; rather, Iran has seen dozens of executions monthly throughout 2026. Iran International emphasized that this pattern unfolds simultaneously with nuclear and regional security negotiations the international community is conducting with Iran, yet human rights issues generally do not figure as a priority item in those talks. The organization noted that most death sentences are carried out after expedited appeals processes, raising concerns about due process rights.
Context
"Mehr" is the seventh month of the Iranian solar calendar, corresponding roughly to September 23–October 22 on the Gregorian calendar. International human rights organizations rank Iran among the countries executing the most people per capita; the bulk of executions are based on drug offenses and murder charges, though opposition groups point to cases where they say due process rights have been violated. Because the Iranian government does not regularly share execution statistics with the public, figures derive largely from compilations by diaspora-based monitoring organizations and opposition media, which can result in small variations between sources. Most executions are carried out without prior notification to families and lawyers; this makes it difficult for independent observers and international organizations to fully monitor the process and means figures may not always be complete.
The presumption of innocence applies.
This news is a translation from Persian with AI assistance. Responsibility for the content rests with the reporting outlet.
