Key facts
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to livestream the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan has faced bipartisan backlash.
- Hasan, a former Army Major, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3 for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people.
- Critics, including Senator Thom Tillis, described the plan as "disgusting" and comparable to practices in Iran and Afghanistan.
- The UN stated that livestreaming an execution would constitute torture and violate international prohibitions against cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
- Experts noted there is no known regulation or precedent for a military execution to be livestreamed to the public.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's proposal to livestream the execution of former Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan has ignited fierce opposition from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and international bodies. The planned firing squad execution, scheduled for December 3, would be the first military execution in over six decades.
Lawmakers, including Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), have condemned the idea, calling it a "dishonorable public spectacle" and drawing parallels to authoritarian regimes like Iran and Afghanistan. They argue that such a broadcast could serve as inspiration for terrorists.
The UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights stated that livestreaming an execution would amount to torture and violate the absolute prohibition of torture, describing it as a form of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The UN body has made similar statements regarding public executions in Afghanistan and Iran.
Experts also highlighted the lack of precedent for such an event. Robin M. Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, noted that her organization is unaware of any regulation or precedent for a military execution to be livestreamed. Mental health experts have also raised concerns about the potential for psychological trauma among viewers, especially if an execution does not go as planned, referencing past failed executions.
Hasan was convicted for the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, where he killed 13 people and was subsequently sentenced to death.