Key facts
- Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called for Australia to block the livestream of a US military execution.
- The execution is of Nidal Malik Hasan, convicted in 2013 of 13 murders and 32 attempted murders.
- The UN human rights office warned broadcasting the execution would breach the prohibition of torture.
- Australia's eSafety commissioner can order platforms to block access to "refused classification" content.
- The government is investigating its ability to restrict access to the broadcast.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has urged the Australian government to block the livestream of a US military execution, describing the plan as "barbaric" and "abhorrent." The execution is scheduled for December 3 and involves Nidal Malik Hasan, a former army psychiatrist convicted in 2013 of 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder.
The Pentagon's intention to livestream the execution has drawn widespread criticism, with the UN's office of the high commissioner for human rights warning it would amount to a public execution and breach the absolute prohibition of torture. Hanson-Young has written to Communications Minister Anika Wells and the eSafety commission, calling for "pre-emptive" steps to prevent the broadcast from being accessible in Australia.
She suggested that platforms like YouTube, Meta, and TikTok should be warned against hosting the video, and that the eSafety commission should pursue regulatory action. Hanson-Young argued that inaction would jeopardize the online safety of millions of Australians.
Support for blocking the broadcast came from across the political spectrum. One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce described the public nature of the execution as "Roman amphitheatre stuff," while Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson expressed concern about the potential for creating an "online portal of censorship" if such content were blocked.
The eSafety commissioner possesses powers under the Online Safety Act to order platforms to block access to content deemed "refused classification." This could apply if the execution footage meets criteria related to crime, cruelty, violence, or abhorrent phenomena. The department stated that broadcasters must act responsibly and exercise editorial control over violent or distressing content. Government sources are investigating potential actions, noting that a legal execution in the US might be treated differently than unlawful killings.