Pope Leo XIV Condemns Livestreamed Execution of Nidal Malik Hasan

On World Day Against the Death Penalty, Pope Leo XIV declared capital punishment inadmissible, stating that the common good can be safeguarded without recourse to the death penalty. The declaration coincided with an announcement by the United States Department of Defense to livestream the December 3 firing squad execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, who was convicted of killing 13 people during a 2009 shooting at Fort Hood.

While the Pope did not name Hasan specifically, other high-ranking Church officials explicitly targeted the U.S. government's plan. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin called the planned livestream unacceptable and incomprehensible, arguing that the death penalty is incompatible with human dignity. Archbishop Paul Coakley, head of the U.S. bishops conference, described the decision as a barbaric promotion of a culture of death that would undermine the moral fabric of the nation.

President Donald Trump stated he will make the final decision on whether the execution will be livestreamed.