Drug-trafficking penalty amendments
2017–ongoing
Verified 21 May 2026 · Data dated 21 May 2026
Fresh · 8d ago
A 2017 amendment to Iran's anti-drug law raised the quantity thresholds for the mandatory death penalty for drug offences. Sentences for thousands of prisoners on death row for drug offences were reviewed.
Outcomes
Hundreds of death sentences were commuted in 2018-2019. However, after 2022 the overall execution rate climbed sharply, with Amnesty recording the highest annual totals in two decades by 2024.
Organisations involved
- Amnesty International
Global human-rights movement campaigning against torture, the death penalty, and unjust imprisonment.
- Harm Reduction International
Research and advocacy organisation focused on drug policy, harm reduction, and the death penalty for drug offences.
Sources
Last verified 21 May 2026. This is editorial; we hand-curate this section. Spotted an error? Submit a correction.