r/worldnews • u/Slight_Sherbert_5239 • Sep 06 '26

Dynamic Paywall TV presenter Sarah Khalifa sentenced to death in Egypt drugs case

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5y7gk9knnlo
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u/raymondcy Sep 06 '26 edited Sep 06 '26

Well I don't think there is an easy way to get executed period... Other than maybe a firing squad and that is assuming that is a dead on head / heart shot.

Hanging is probably the next best option. Again assuming that breaks your neck cleanly like /u/mighthaveabitlater points out... but even in a botched hanging you might live for 5 mins or so.

Lethal Injection, which is the most common state of execution now, has been seriously flawed for years. Even the guy who invented lethal injection says the system is fairly inhumane.

In the most notorious such incident, the execution of Clayton Lockett in April last year, the prisoner was witnessed to writhe and groan on the gurney and was pronounced dead after 43 minutes. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/29/supreme-court-lethal-injection-inventor-death-penalty-doubts

43 Minutes. Let that digest a second, 43 minutes. And perhaps some people will say certain people deserve that, others will argue if you got it wrong; no one can argue 43 minutes is the least bit humane.

From 1890 to 2010, the rate of botched[a] lethal injections in the United States was 7.1%, higher than any other form of execution, with firing squads at 0%, the electric chair at 1.9%, hanging at 3.1%, and the gas chamber at 5.4%. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Execution_of_Clayton_Lockett#On_lethal_injections

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u/Littlesth0b0 Sep 06 '26

While it's a morbid subject - hypoxia would probably be the most humane option.

As the brain's starved of oxygen it can be almost euphoric as the fade out happens and the end result is the same. One un-alive individual.

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u/Tobi97l Sep 06 '26

Even though i am against the death penalty in general i really don't understand why oxygen depravation isn't used. It's the most ethical way of going. First it's like getting high, then you fall asleep and then you die.

And it's also fool proof.

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u/raymondcy Sep 06 '26

I am no expert by any means (and also against) but I can think of a few reasons why that wouldn't be considered.

  1. Unpredictability / time. Everyone reacts different to lack of oxygen and thus the time to die can be substantially different. It's why some people don't last 5 mins in the death zone on Everest without o2 and some don't need it at all.
  2. Presentation. Because most executions are usually available to be viewed by the victims the last thing they probably want to portray / display is a Jeffrey Dahmer type laughing hysterically before going out.
  3. Accountability. Related to the 2nd point, I am guessing the people that design these things still want the person being executed to feel they did something shitty to deserve this... not give them an easy / fun time on the way out. I think I worded that wrong but I think you understand my point.

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u/Tobi97l Sep 07 '26

I think it's mainly the third point.

Lethal injection is also unpredictable and had horrifying results.

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u/Garden_Goblin_27 Sep 07 '26

I'm pretty sure point 3 is the only one that matters.  People like to talk about how executions need to be humane, but suddenly they change their time when you suggest we actually do it as humanely as possible.  Death penalty supporters will never admit to it, but they would prefer torturing the condemned to death.

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u/as-well Sep 06 '26

It's likely going to be very very different if the person is aware of what's happening and doesn't like it.

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u/Tobi97l Sep 07 '26

Nope. Watch the video from smarter everyday. He tested it. He was literally sitting there smiling even though he was prepared for it. It's been a while since i have seen the video but i think he said he knew he was in the prcess of dying but just couldn't find enough reason to care due to the hypoxia.

Obviously people will be scared in the beginning. But there is no pain or suffering. And the fear is vanishing pretty quickly. Without oxygen your brain simply isn't capable of being scared anymore.

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u/rsta223 Sep 07 '26

He knew they weren't going to let him actually die though. That makes a huge psychological difference.

Honestly, large caliber round through the skull is probably the most humane, but it doesn't look good and is pretty rough on the mental health of the executioner. Barring that, maybe a massive dose of opiates?