firing squad:
(also called ‘firing party‘; plural: ‘firing squads‘)
a firing squad (L) executing a person (R,sitting on stool)
a small troop (group) of soldiers with guns whose duty is to shoot people who are to be killed as a punishment, especially in a military government;
a small troop (group) of soldiers or police officers who fire guns into the air to salute in honour of an important person or occasion,
a firing squad firing rifles in air as a sign of honour
Many people do not know that the practice of killing people as a punishment by a firing squad still exists in some countries, including the USA.
It was a common practice in the Nazi Germany to send any person who talked ill of Hitler, even for fun, to face a firing squad where they were shot to death.
In a country where there is dictatorship and military rule, there are firing squads on regular duty who will be doing their duty of shooting political prisoners who oppose the government.
It is customary to see firing squads fire some shots into the air, called gun salute, as an honour to dead soldiers on special ceremonies.
