Public execution

Execution of Louis XVI, copperplate engraving, 1793

Public Firing squad of Tee Wandee and San Huayai at Banphotkhiri Hill, Sattahip district, Chonburi province on August 30, 1972

A public execution is a form of capital punishment which "members of the general public may voluntarily attend". This definition excludes the presence of only a small number of witnesses called upon to assure executive accountability. The purpose of such displays has historically been to deter individuals from defying laws or authorities. Attendance at such events was historically encouraged and sometimes even mandatory.

Most countries have abolished capital punishment or retain it in law but have ceased in practice. While today most countries regard public executions with distaste, they have been practised nearly everywhere at some point in history. At many points in the past, public executions were preferred to executions behind closed doors because of their supposed deterrence. However, the actual efficacy of this form of terror is disputed. They also allowed the convicted the opportunity to make a final speech, gave the state the chance to display its power in front of those who fell under its jurisdiction, and granted the public what was considered to be a great spectacle. Public executions also permitted the state to project its superiority over political opponents.