Abdelmadjid Tebboune seeks to reinstate the death penalty for arsonists following deadly wildfires in northeastern Algeria
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the justice ministry to introduce amendments to the criminal law to include capital punishment for those who intentionally start forest fires. This move follows a wave of wildfires in the northeast of the country that resulted in at least 12 deaths and 54 injuries. The fatalities occurred primarily in the provinces of Jijel, Bejaia, and Tizi Ouzou. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune noted that some fires may have been started deliberately, as several blazes broke out simultaneously. He ordered provincial governors to provide security authorities with all available information regarding the fires. The administration also ordered authorities to compensate affected families and repair damaged homes and essential services. Under current laws, deliberately starting a forest fire is punishable by up to 30 years in prison or life imprisonment. Algeria has not carried out an execution since 1993. The wildfires occurred during a severe heatwave and were exacerbated by drought and climate change.
Sources
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Algeria forest fires: President Abdelmadjid Tebboune seeks death penalty for arsonists
BBC
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Wildfire smoke and Saharan dust over the central Mediterranean basin
eu-space.europa.eu
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At least 12 dead, 54 injured as wildfires ravage northeastern Algeria
Al Jazeera
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Algeria’s president seeks death penalty for those who start forest fires