Firing squad

Manet: The Execution of Emperor Maximilian

A firing squad is a group of people with guns who shoot and kill a criminal who has been sentenced to death penalty. The person being shot is often blindfolded. This method of execution has often been used in the military for crimes such as desertion and cowardice.

Few countries use firing squads anymore. Many countries have either stopped using the death penalty or switched to using lethal injection. For example, in the United States, the state of Utah formerly used firing squads, but it now uses lethal injection. However, some countries, such as Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, still use firing squads. As of 2014, 73 countries still use execution by firing squad, and is the sole method of execution in 45 different countries.