Greens call to block 'shocking and barbaric' US execution live stream

The Greens have called on the Australian government to take action to prevent a live streaming of a US firing squad execution from being broadcast in Australia. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has stated that he will ensure the public can view the December 3 execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, marking the first US military firing squad execution since World War II.

Hasan was found guilty of killing 13 people and injuring many more at the Fort Hood military base in 2009. Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has written to both the eSafety Commissioner and Communications Minister requesting confirmation that they will take necessary steps to prevent the execution from being streamed or accessible online in Australia.

She expressed shock and disgust at the barbaric nature of the execution and urged the government to warn streaming and social media platforms, threatening significant fines if the state-sanctioned killing is broadcast or replayed. The ABC has reached out to the eSafety Commissioner and the Communications Minister for a response.

The Australian government's response to potential live streaming of the execution has been criticized by human rights groups, with Amnesty International Australia calling on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to press the US to halt the plan. Human rights organization Amnesty International Australia stated that turning a state-sanctioned killing into a public spectacle would compound the cruelty of the death penalty.