How the US plan to livestream an execution compares with global practice

The U.S. military plans to livestream the Dec. 3 execution of Nidal Hasan by firing squad. If carried out, death penalty experts said it would be the first known broadcast or livestream of a lawful execution to a public audience. Public executions are now rare worldwide, while internet platforms and governments generally try to restrict execution footage. The plan would also be the first U.S. military firing-squad execution since 1945.

Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.

Death penalty experts said the last legally sanctioned public execution in the United States took place in 1936.

The 2006 hanging of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was recorded and circulated after the event but was not shown live.

Amnesty International said recent public executions have largely been concentrated in Iran and Taliban-run Afghanistan.

Saudi Arabia historically allowed spectators at public executions, but filming was prohibited and such executions had largely ceased by 2019.

Published Oct 10, 2026 12:55 am KST

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump at Anduril Industries in Sparrows Point, Maryland, Tuesday. AFP-Yonhap

The U.S. military plans to livestream the Dec. 3 execution by firing squad of Nidal Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.

If carried out as planned, death penalty experts said it would mark the first known broadcast or livestream of a lawful execution.

Executions are generally conducted behind prison walls, and internet platforms and governments have spent years trying to limit the circulation of violent execution footage.

Has a lawful execution ever been livestreamed or broadcast to the public before?

Death penalty experts consulted by Reuters said they were unaware of any previous lawful execution that had been livestreamed or broadcast to a public audience.

Execution footage has occasionally emerged after the event. The hanging of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in 2006, for example, was seen around the world after official and unofficial recordings circulated online and through broadcasters, though it was not shown live.

Broadcasts and livestreams today are common for court proceedings, parliamentary debates and other state functions, but not for judicial executions.

How unusual is this compared with modern execution practices around the world?

Public executions have become rare worldwide, with most countries that retain the death penalty carrying out executions away from public view.

According to Amnesty International, public executions recorded in recent years have largely been concentrated in Iran and Taliban-run Afghanistan.

The execution would also be notable in the United States. Public executions largely disappeared during the 20th century, and death penalty experts cited by Reuters said the last legally sanctioned public execution took place in 1936.

Hasan's execution would be the first carried out by firing squad by the U.S. military since the 1945 execution of Eddie Slovik, who was convicted of desertion during World War Two.

How has the internet changed the circulation of execution footage?

The internet has transformed execution imagery from a local event into content capable of reaching global audiences within minutes.

Militant groups such as Islamic State became notorious for producing professionally edited execution videos that were distributed online as propaganda and recruitment tools.

Criminal organisations, including Mexican drug cartels, have also circulated violent footage to intimidate rivals and project power.

The ability of users to rapidly copy, repost and redistribute content has made it more difficult for governments and technology companies to control the spread of such material.

What has been the reaction from governments and tech companies?

Governments and technology companies have generally moved in the opposite direction, attempting to reduce rather than expand access to graphic execution footage.

Major social media platforms have spent years removing execution videos linked to extremist organisations and other violent groups.

One of the first public governmental reactions came from New Zealand, whose chief censor said authorities would have little practical ability to prevent residents from accessing a livestream while it was taking place.

Livestreams pose particular challenges for platforms because footage can be viewed, copied and redistributed before moderation systems can intervene.

Even countries that still conduct public executions have often restricted filming and broadcast rights. Saudi Arabia historically carried out public executions before spectators, but recording them was prohibited and such public executions had largely ceased by 2019.

美国军方计划于12月3日对尼达尔·哈桑执行枪决，并进行现场直播。死刑专家表示，如果计划得以实施，这将是已知首次向公众直播合法死刑。目前，公开处决在全球范围内已十分罕见，而互联网平台和各国政府通常会限制死刑视频的传播。此外，这将是自1945年以来美国军方首次使用枪决执行死刑。

哈桑因在 2009 年胡德堡枪击案中杀害 13 人而被定罪。

死刑专家表示，美国最后一次依法公开执行死刑是在 1936 年。

2006年伊拉克前领导人萨达姆·侯赛因被绞死的画面被录像，并在事后流传，但并未进行现场直播。

国际特赦组织表示，近期公开处决的案件主要集中在伊朗和塔利班统治下的阿富汗。

沙特阿拉伯历史上允许旁观者观看公开处决，但禁止拍摄，而且到 2019 年，此类处决已基本停止。

发布于2026年10月10日凌晨12:55（韩国标准时间）

周二，美国国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯在马里兰州斯帕罗斯角的安杜里尔工业公司发表讲话，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普随后到访。法新社-韩联社

美国军方计划直播 12 月 3 日对前陆军精神科医生尼达尔·哈桑执行枪决的过程。哈桑因在 2009 年胡德堡枪击案中杀害 13 人而被定罪。

死刑专家表示，如果按计划执行，这将是已知首次合法执行死刑的广播或直播。

死刑通常在监狱内执行，互联网平台和各国政府多年来一直试图限制暴力死刑视频的传播。

历史上是否曾对合法执行的死刑进行过现场直播或公开广播？

路透社咨询的死刑专家表示，他们不知道此前有任何合法的死刑执行过程曾进行过直播或向公众播出。

处决的影像有时会在事后流传出来。例如，2006年伊拉克前领导人萨达姆·侯赛因被绞死，尽管没有进行现场直播，但官方和非官方的录像通过网络和广播公司传播开来，全世界都看到了这一幕。

如今，法庭审理、议会辩论和其他国家职能的节目经常进行广播和直播，但司法处决却很少采用这种方式。

与世界各地的现代死刑执行方式相比，这有多不寻常？

公开处决在世界范围内已变得十分罕见，大多数保留死刑的国家都会在公众视线之外执行死刑。

据国际特赦组织称，近年来记录在案的公开处决主要集中在伊朗和塔利班统治下的阿富汗。

这次处决在美国也会引起广泛关注。公开处决在20世纪基本消失，路透社援引死刑专家的话说，最后一次合法的公开处决发生在1936年。

哈桑的死刑将是自 1945 年埃迪·斯洛维克被处决以来，美国军方首次以枪决方式执行死刑。埃迪·斯洛维克因在二战期间逃兵而被定罪。

互联网如何改变了死刑执行视频的传播？

互联网将原本发生在本地的处决画面，转化为能够在几分钟内触达全球受众的内容。

伊斯兰国等武装组织因制作经过专业剪辑的处决视频而臭名昭著，这些视频在网上传播，作为宣传和招募工具。

包括墨西哥贩毒集团在内的犯罪组织也散布暴力视频，以恐吓竞争对手并展示实力。

用户能够快速复制、转发和重新分发内容，这使得政府和科技公司更难控制此类内容的传播。

各国政府和科技公司对此有何反应？

各国政府和科技公司通常采取相反的做法，试图减少而不是扩大对死刑执行画面的访问。

多年来，各大社交媒体平台一直在删除与极端组织和其他暴力团体有关的处决视频。

最早公开表态的政府反应之一来自新西兰，该国首席审查员表示，当局几乎没有实际能力阻止居民在直播进行期间观看直播。

直播给平台带来了特殊的挑战，因为在审核系统介入之前，视频内容就可以被观看、复制和重新分发。

即使是那些仍然执行公开处决的国家，也常常限制拍摄和播出权。沙特阿拉伯历史上曾当着众人的面执行公开处决，但禁止录像，而且到2019年，这种公开处决已基本停止。