Greens seek to block US execution livestream in Australia

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 12 Oct, 01:54 · Archive

Australian Greens have asked regulators to prevent access to a livestreamed US military execution scheduled for December.

The Australian Greens have asked the eSafety Commissioner and communications minister to block access in Australia to a livestreamed US military execution scheduled for December 3. The execution is of Nidal Malik Hasan, a former US army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people and injuring 32 at Fort Hood military base in Texas in 2009. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the public would be able to watch the firing squad execution. It will be the first US military execution in 65 years, the first known firing squad execution in the country since World War II, and the first time a lawful killing has ever been broadcast.

Greens communications spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young said in her letter to regulators that 'inaction on this will jeopardise millions of Australians' online safety and expose both adults and children to this harmful content'. Labor minister Daniel Mulino welcomed efforts to protect social media users from harmful content but raised questions about how to target the execution livestream itself, telling the ABC: 'We need to walk a fine line with social media between imposing protections where appropriate and making sure that people have the freedom to express themselves.'

Liberal leader Angus Taylor declined to comment directly, saying the matter was for the United States. Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson told the ABC it was 'enormously problematic' to tolerate violent content but raised concerns that censorship could have broader impacts on the internet. The decision to broadcast the execution has been condemned around the world, with New Zealand also considering ways of blocking access.

How it is being reported

• Greens push to censor US execution livestreamA Greens senator has written to the eSafety commissioner to request the livestreaming of a firing squad execution in the US not be accessible in Australia.The West Australian · 12 Oct, 01:42
• Greens push to censor US execution livestreamA Greens senator has written to the eSafety commissioner to request the livestreaming of a firing squad execution in the US not be accessible in Australia.Perth Now · 12 Oct, 01:42

In this story: Sarah Hanson-Young · Nidal Malik Hasan · Pete Hegseth · Daniel Mulino · Fort Hood · Australia · United States · Australian Greens

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