The upcoming execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist responsible for the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, is set to be livestreamed by the U.S. military on December 3. This event marks the first firing squad execution by the U.S. military since 1945. Hasan, a former U.S. army officer, perpetrated the attack by entering a medical building and opening fire while shouting “Allahu akbar.” Traditionally, U.S. executions have been private, but if this livestreamed execution proceeds as planned, it will be a historic first in broadcasting lawful executions.
Public executions have become uncommon globally, with most countries carrying out such activities in private. Notably, executions in public have occurred more frequently in countries like Iran and Taliban-run Afghanistan. In the United States, public executions have significantly declined, with the last legally sanctioned public execution taking place in 1936. Hasan’s upcoming firing squad execution will be the first of its kind by the U.S. military since Eddie Slovik’s execution in 1945 for desertion during World War II.
The advent of the internet has transformed the dissemination of execution imagery, enabling swift global access to such content. Various groups, including militant organizations and criminal gangs, have used online platforms to distribute violent execution videos. While livestreams are common for various events, including court proceedings, broadcasting judicial executions remains unusual.
The planned livestreaming of Hasan’s execution has sparked global reactions. The UN human rights office and Amnesty International have condemned the livestreaming, citing concerns about violating prohibitions on torture and inhumane treatment. Governments and technology companies have traditionally sought to limit access to graphic execution footage, with major social media platforms actively removing such content.
The historical context of public executions in the U.S. is being revisited with the announcement of Hasan’s livestreamed execution. Public executions were once popular events in America, serving as deterrents to crime and entertainment for spectators. The last public execution in the U.S. is often cited as Rainey Bethea’s hanging in 1936. The upcoming livestreamed execution of Hasan by firing squad is a rare occurrence that harkens back to a different era in the country’s history.