Firing squad execution to be livestreamed, Pentagon says

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An undated handout image of Hasan that was released by authorities in 2012

The public will be able to watch the execution of a former US Army major by firing squad, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said.

A Defense Department official told the BBC the execution of Nidal Hasan, who shot dead 13 unarmed US soldiers at Fort Hood in 2009, would be livestreamed.

It is believed it would be the first public execution in the US in almost a century. The decision to livestream it is "unprecedented in the modern era" and "on uncertain legal terrain," said John Mills, a lawyer who works with inmates sentenced to death.

"People need to understand that there's serious consequences for these types of things," said Hegseth.

The UN human rights office told AFP that livestreaming it would be "tantamount to a public execution and would breach the absolute prohibition of torture".

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy told CNN that the idea was "disgusting" and reminiscent of executions carried out by the Islamic State group.

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If ever you were in any doubt that this is the Darkest Timeline: the USA's proposing not only to make an execution-by-firing-squad public, but to treat their killing of a human being like a Twitch stream. Absolutely dystopian.

Even if they don't oppose the death penalty, any civilised person must surely agree that this cheapening of human life and dignity goes beyond the pale? Whether or not it actually goes ahead as-proposed (there's surely going to be legal challenged) I'm absolutely disgusted and enraged that the administration of (convicted felon) Donald Trump would even propose such barbarism.

Just from a diplomatic perspective, it immediately loses them the moral superiority over the (few) states that do make a public spectacle out of executions. But far, far beyond that it's just an abhorrent way to behave.

What the actual fuck, USA. I feel ill.