In response to severe wildfires that have ravaged parts of the country, Algeria has enacted a new law imposing the death penalty on individuals convicted of arson affecting forests and fields. This legislative decision was passed by the national assembly on Thursday, alongside a measure that elevates child abduction to a capital offense.
Although capital punishment has been a part of Algeria’s legal framework for specific crimes, the last execution took place in 1993. The wildfires, which have resulted in an official death toll of 12, are believed by some independent media to have claimed many more lives.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune directed the justice ministry to amend criminal laws following a string of over 100 fires in northeastern Algeria, exacerbated by a severe heatwave affecting the region. The new legislation specifies that anyone found guilty of intentionally igniting fires in forests, woods, or fields could face execution.
Expanded Death Penalty Provisions
In addition to arson, the revised law extends the death penalty to cases of child kidnapping that involve particularly heinous acts such as torture, sexual assault, or mutilation. Justice Minister Lotfi Boudjemaa commented during the parliamentary session that these harsher penalties are necessary to combat rising crime rates.
Boudjemaa emphasized that arson has escalated to the level of organized crime, with some investigations indicating potential connections to foreign entities. The proposed law will undergo a review by the upper house, the Council of the Nation, before it receives official approval from the president.
Investigative Efforts and Climate Impact
Nozha Khelalef, an investigative journalist, has been compiling a list of individuals believed to have perished in the wildfires by aggregating death notices and local authority reports. Her findings, published on the independent platform Twala, suggest that the actual death toll may be as high as 200.
While wildfires are a common occurrence in Algeria during the summer months, the severity and frequency of these recent fires have been intensified by the effects of climate change. This has raised concerns about future incidents and the need for effective preventive measures.
