Pope Leo XIV has formally reiterated the Catholic Church’s stance that the death penalty is “inadmissible,” describing it as an infringement on the dignity and inviolability of the human person. The declaration, shared on social media platform X, coincided with the World Day Against the Death Penalty. In his statement, the Pope emphasized that justice and public safety can be achieved without the use of capital punishment, noting that modern detention systems offer ways to protect society while allowing for the possibility of redemption.
The Pope’s comments follow an announcement by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth regarding the upcoming execution of Nidal Malik Hasan. Hasan, who was convicted for a 2009 shooting at the Fort Hood military base that resulted in 13 deaths and 32 injuries, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on December 3. The Pentagon confirmed plans to livestream the event, a decision that has drawn widespread condemnation from both sides of the American political spectrum.
Critics of the livestream plan have likened the broadcast to tactics employed by extremist groups. Republican Representative Austin Scott stated that while he supports the execution, the act of broadcasting it is “what Jihadists do.” Senator Mark Kelly, a Democrat, echoed these sentiments, suggesting the practice is more closely associated with the actions of the Taliban or the Iranian government rather than American standards.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, also characterized the plan to stream the execution as “unacceptable.” While Vice President JD Vance confirmed he was aware of the proposal, he expressed uncertainty regarding whether the broadcast would ultimately proceed, telling reporters he would not be watching if it did. The current Church teaching, which deems the death penalty inadmissible in all circumstances, was first established in 2018 by Pope Leo's predecessor, Pope Francis, marking a shift from previous doctrine that allowed for capital punishment in extreme cases of self-defense against aggressors.
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