Abdorrahman Boroumand Center

In the Islamic Republic of Iran, at least 149 crimes are punishable by flogging. The laws related to flogging are broad and encompass a wide array of acts recognized as crimes. The criminal code recognizes corporal punishment (hadd and ta’zir) for offenses such as: consumption of alcohol, drug use and petty drug dealing, theft, adultery, "flouting" of public morals, illegitimate relationships, and mixing of the sexes in public. Flogging is also used in interrogations, presumably to punish the detainee for not telling the truth. In the case of political prisoners, flogging was routinely used in the 1980s. Interrogators continue to use flogging, but its use is more often reported in the case of political detainees from specific political or ethnic groups. Judges have also the latitude to mete out corporal punishment for those sentenced to death. In such cases, the flogging is carried out before the execution to maximize the convict’s suffering.

Though we are currently unable to update the flogging map due to a lack of resources, our work to document floggings continues. ABC research has recorded the following in recent years:

• 2020: ABC documented 160 cases (as of December 7).
• 2019: ABC documented 143 cases.
• 2018: ABC documented 275 cases.
• 2017: ABC documented 201 cases. 

The actual number of flogging cases is most likely higher as there is no systematic reporting of these sentences.

To send us information on flogging sentences, please fill the questionnaire.

For more information on flogging cases, please visit our library.

More about methodology and sources

Floggings by City Click a circle to filter sentences by location.