Vatican City, October 10 (ANI): Pope Leo XIV on Saturday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump’s approval of the execution of convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan by firing squad, reiterating the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment and describing the death penalty as an attack on human dignity.
In a post on X, the pope stressed that justice and public safety could be ensured without resorting to capital punishment. He advocated detention systems that protect citizens while preserving the possibility of redemption for those found guilty.
“The death penalty is inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person. The common good can be safeguarded and the requirements of justice can be met without recourse to capital punishment: effective systems of detention have been developed that protect citizens while at the same time do not completely deprive those who are guilty of the possibility of redemption. #NoDeathPenalty,” Pope Leo XIV wrote.
The pope’s remarks came after the U.S. military announced Monday that Trump had approved Hasan’s execution by firing squad, following a recommendation from U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth.
In a statement posted on X, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said, “U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth has recommended, and President Donald J. Trump has approved, death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal Malik Hasan.”
“The Secretary of the Army will set the time and place of the execution. Judgment Day for Hasan has finally come,” Parnell added.
Hasan, an Army major, was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding more than 30 others in a mass shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5, 2009. A military jury sentenced him to death in 2013 following his conviction in connection with the attack.
The shooting took place inside a medical building at the military installation, which served as a major staging area for U.S. military personnel preparing for deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Twelve of those killed were soldiers, while the 13th was a civilian. More than 30 people were wounded in the attack.
During his court-martial, Hasan represented himself, did not call witnesses or testify, and did not contest the formal charges. His court-appointed defense counsel had previously expressed concerns that he was actively pursuing a death sentence.
Prosecutors argued that the attack was inspired by al-Qaeda. Evidence presented during the trial showed that Hasan opposed U.S. military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and had communicated online with Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born radical cleric associated with al-Qaeda who was later killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen.
If carried out, Hasan’s execution would mark the first U.S. military execution in decades. The U.S. military last carried out an execution in 1961, and the firing squad has not been used by the military since that year.
Pope Leo XIV’s statement reiterates the Catholic Church’s opposition to capital punishment, emphasizing the protection of human dignity and the possibility of redemption, even for those convicted of serious crimes. (ANI)
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