Australia says US plans to livestream execution ‘absolutely disgusting’

On December 3, Nidal Hasan, a former United States soldier, is scheduled to be executed by military firing squad at Fort Hood in Texas. This marks the first such execution in the US military since 1945. The Pentagon has announced that the execution will be livestreamed, following Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's statement that they would ensure the public could view it.

Australian Environment Minister Murray Watt expressed his disgust upon hearing about the plans, stating that he found the idea "absolutely disgusting" and that most Australians would agree it is a distressing prospect. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has also condemned the plan, arguing that livestreaming an execution constitutes a public execution and would violate the prohibition of torture.

Reactions to the execution plans have been mixed, with condemnation coming from both the far-right and the Greens in Australia. Far-right lawmaker Barnaby Joyce described the execution as "Roman amphitheatre stuff," while Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young called for regulators to stop the execution from being shown in Australia.

However, Australia's internet regulator has stated that it does not have the authority to prevent the execution from being streamed online. The eSafety Commissioner, in a statement to AFP, noted that online services have a responsibility under the Australian online safety framework to protect users from harmful material.