The recent announcement by the Pentagon regarding the livestreaming of an execution by firing squad in the United States has drawn significant international criticism. According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), this action would constitute a public execution and breach the absolute prohibition on torture. The execution in question involves Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist sentenced to death for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. The Pentagon confirmed that this execution, scheduled for December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, will be broadcast live, sparking a wave of controversy.
OHCHR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo, speaking at a press briefing in Geneva, emphasized that livestreaming such an event equates to a public execution. This action, she argued, disregards the global prohibition on cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, rendering it arbitrary and infringing on both the right to life and the ban on torture. Similar sentiments have previously been expressed by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in relation to public executions in countries like Afghanistan and Iran, labeling them as cruel and inhumane. The prospect of this execution being publicized was also described as “abhorrent” by UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric during a briefing in New York.
The decision to proceed with Hasan’s execution came after President Donald Trump approved it, acting on the recommendation of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. This would mark the first US military execution since 1961 and the first by firing squad since World War II. Despite having exhausted his appeals by 2025, Hasan still retains the option to file a habeic corpus petition in federal civilian court, potentially delaying the execution. The implications of this unprecedented decision are being closely monitored by international human rights bodies.
Robin Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Action Center, highlighted that public executions have historically been tools of authoritarian regimes to instill fear and assert control. The United States, as a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), is bound by Article 7, which prohibits cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The resumption of the federal death penalty followed an executive order by President Trump on January 20, 2025, which lifted an existing moratorium, culminating in South Carolina carrying out the country’s first firing squad execution in 15 years.
Concerns regarding this action are further compounded by the broader implications of broadcasting such a deeply sensitive event. The ethical and legal ramifications are under scrutiny, prompting a robust debate on the role of public executions in modern society. The controversy continues to unfold as the scheduled date approaches, drawing critical attention from across the globe.
More details on this revealing development can be found in the original piece reported by JURIST.