Pete Hegseth's program to broadcast the live execution of Maj Nidal Hasan in Texas places the United States alongside countries like Iran and Afghanistan, which regularly carry out public executions. This plan itself raises questions about the state of human rights and punishment methods in the United States.
Status of Executions in Other Countries
Currently, only two countries systematically carry out public executions: Iran and Afghanistan. According to recent reports, in 2025, the Taliban carried out six public executions, and the Tehran regime executed 11 cases. Last April, the Taliban executed four men accused of murder in three different cities, all of whom were killed in crowded stadiums.
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Comparison with Execution Methods in Iran
In Iran, two young men were executed for killing police officers in the central square of Isfahan. In the past five years, around 30 public executions have been reported in Iran, with this number increasing in recent months due to social unrest and the war with the United States and Israel. Historically, many executions have been carried out using cranes as gallows.
Saudi Arabia seems to have ended the practice of executing criminals in public squares after decades. Legal experts and historians believe that public executions can serve different functions and can be used as a tool to garner public support and instill fear in society.
The Future of Executions in the United States
Hegseth's plan to broadcast Hasan's execution live will be the first public execution in the United States in recent decades. Hasan's execution is scheduled for December 3, and Hegseth has announced that it will take place at the same time and location as Hasan's attack 17 years ago, using firearms.
There are concerns that Hasan's execution may also be used as a public spectacle to intimidate enemies and opponents. In 2025, Amnesty International recorded 2,707 executions, the highest global figure since 1981.
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