The U.S. military is making preparations to broadcast the execution by firing squad of Nidal Hasan on December 3rd. Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, was found guilty of killing 13 individuals and injuring 32 others during the Fort Hood shooting incident in 2009. This event will mark the first firing squad execution conducted by the U.S. military since 1945.
Hasan, who was a former U.S. army officer, carried out the attack by entering a medical building where soldiers were undergoing checkups. He yelled “Allahu akbar,” which means “God is greater” in Arabic, before opening fire with a laser-sighted handgun. Traditionally, executions in the U.S. have been kept private, but if the live broadcast proceeds as planned, it will be the first known public airing of a lawful execution.
In recent decades, executions have been kept behind closed doors, away from public eyes, with efforts made to restrict the dissemination of violent execution footage. The Pentagon’s decision to livestream Hasan’s execution is unprecedented and raises questions about how it aligns with global practices and the historical context of public executions in the U.S.
Experts in capital punishment consulted by Reuters have indicated that there is no prior record of a lawful execution being livestreamed or broadcast to a wide audience. While footage of executions has surfaced post-event in some instances, broadcasting judicial executions is not a common practice.
Public executions have become rare worldwide, with most countries carrying out executions discreetly. Notable exceptions include Iran and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, where public executions have been recorded in recent times. In the United States, public executions have waned since the 20th century, with the last legally sanctioned public execution occurring in 1936.
The internet has played a significant role in transforming the visibility of execution imagery, enabling global dissemination within minutes. Various groups, including militant organizations like the Islamic State and criminal cartels, have exploited online platforms to distribute execution videos for propaganda and intimidation purposes.
The UN human rights office has criticized the planned livestreaming of Hasan’s execution, equating it to a form of public torture. Amnesty International has also condemned the decision, calling it a cruel and inhumane act. While technology has facilitated the sharing of such content, efforts have been made by governments and technology companies to limit access to graphic execution footage.
Historically, public executions were a common spectacle in America, serving as both a deterrent and public event. However, with shifting societal norms, public executions have largely disappeared. The planned livestreamed execution of Hasan harks back to a different era when public executions were considered a form of public punishment and entertainment.
