The 15th annual report on the death penalty by Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) and ECPM (Together Against the Death Penalty) provides an assessment and analysis of death penalty trends in 2022 in the Islamic Republic of Iran. It sets out the number of executions in 2022, the trend compared to previous years, the legislative framework and procedures, charges, geographic distribution and a monthly break - down of executions.

The report reveals the highest annual number of executions since 2015. At least 582 people were executed, an increase of 75% compared to 2021. 

The trend continued in 2023. At least 199 people were executed in the first four months of 2023. 51 of those executed were Kurds and 42 of them were Baluch citizens. The Iranian regime did not reveal the identities of the 31 people who were executed.

In 2022, Iran’s authorities demonstrated how crucial the death penalty is to instil societal fear in order to hold onto power. Weeks into the nationwide "Jin, Jiyan, Azadi" protests, triggered by the state killing of Jina (Mahsa) Amini on 16 September 2022, hundreds of protesters were facing show trials at the Revolutionary Courts, many with charges punishable by death.

The report said: "Two protesters were executed in December 2022. Strong international backlash, parliamentarians volunteering as "political sponsors" to save death row protesters, and targeted sanctions against individuals and entities involved in the repression, have raised the political cost of executing protesters. In response, authorities intensified the execution of prisoners on non-political charges."

Some highlights from the report are as follows:

At least 582 people were executed in 2022, a 75% increase compared to 333 in 2021.

- 71 executions (12%) were announced by official sources, compared to 16.5% in 2021 and an average of 33% in 2018–2020.

- 88% of all executions included in the 2022 report (511 in total) were not announced by the authorities.

- At least 288 executions (49% of all executions) were for murder charges, the highest in more than 15 years.

- At least 256 (44%) were executed for drug-related charges, compared to 126 (38%) in 2021 and an average of 26 per year in 2018–2020.

- Only 3 of the 256 drug-related executions (1%) were announced by official sources.

- At least 23 people were executed on rape charges.

- At least 15 people, among them 2 protesters, were executed for security-related charges (moharebeh and efsad-fil-arz).

- Two people, including one protester, were hanged in public spaces.

- At least 3 juvenile offenders were among those executed.

- At least 16 women were executed.

- At least 273 executions in 2022 and more than 4,029 executions since 2010 have been based on death sentences issued by the Revolutionary Courts.

At least 624 prisoners sentenced to death for murder charges were forgiven by the families of the murder victims per qisas laws.