US to livestream execution of soldier convicted in 2009 Fort Hood massacre

The United States plans to livestream the execution of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist sentenced to death for killing 13 people in a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that a firing squad of soldiers will carry out the execution, scheduled for December 3.

Speaking to conservative activist Jack Posobiec, Hegseth said the execution would be public and that further details would be announced. A Pentagon official also confirmed to Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the execution would be broadcast live.

The announcement drew criticism from the United Nations human rights office, which said livestreaming an execution would amount to a public execution and violate the absolute prohibition on torture. The office described public executions as cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Hasan was sentenced to death by a military jury in 2013 for the attack at Fort Hood, in which 13 people were killed and more than 30 wounded. Twelve of those killed and 30 of the wounded were military personnel. Hasan was shot by a civilian police officer during the attack and left partially paralyzed.

If carried out as scheduled, Hasan’s execution would be the first military execution in the United States since 1961 and the first by firing squad since World War II, according to the report.