Algeria Adopts Law Imposing Death Penalty on Forest Arsonists
The measure follows deadly summer wildfires and applies to kidnappings involving torture, sexual assault or mutilation, officials said.
- On Thursday, Algerian lawmakers adopted a law imposing the death penalty on arsonists who burn "forests, woods or planted or unplanted fields" following deadly wildfires that swept through the country in recent weeks.
- President Abdelmadjid Tebboune alleged "something criminal" caused the summer blazes, which officially killed 12 people, prompting the government to pursue capital punishment for arson.
- Justice Minister Lotfi Boudjemaa told parliament arson reached "the level of organised crime" involving "foreign parties", while the law also extends capital punishment to anyone who "kidnaps a child by any means, tortures them, sexually assaults them and/or mutilates them".
- Amnesty International criticized the move as "a deeply retrograde response", urging Algeria to refrain from resuming executions and instead "focus on protecting lives, strengthening prevention and emergency response".
- The legislation now awaits Senate review and ratification by Tebboune before taking effect, though Algeria has upheld a death penalty moratorium for decades despite continuing to sentence individuals in terror cases.
71 Articles
71 Articles
Santa Maria Times
Independent EspañolARGEL, Algeria (AP) — Algerian legislators passed a bill to reinstate the death penalty in cases of fires following the deadly and devastating fires this summer.
The Toronto Star
Algerian lawmakers pass a bill restoring the death penalty for arson
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algerian lawmakers have passed a bill reintroducing the death penalty for arson following deadly and devastating wildfires this summer.
Protothema
newscentraltv.comThe lower house approved the tightening of the penal code – The country has been observing a moratorium since 1993
NOS
cedarnews.netThe Algerian parliament has decided to introduce the death penalty for people who deliberately cause forest fires. That decision follows a series of severe forest fires in the North African country, which have claimed at least 12 lives in recent months. "The death penalty is an appropriate legal measure to tackle such crimes," Minister Boudjemaa told journalists after the bill was passed. According to him, the forest fires have "reached the lev…
Algeria: Upper house of parliament must reject regressive legislation expanding the death penalty after 30 years without executions
Responding to the lower house of the Algerian Parliament adopting today legal amendments that expand the scope of the death penalty after more than three decades without any executions, Amnesty International’s Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said: “Today’s decision by the Algerian People’s National Assembly to approve these […]
Radio France Internationale
Algeria adopts law imposing death penalty on forest arsonists
The official death toll from the blazes, which swept through the country's northeast during the summer, was 12 people, but witnesses have reported the deaths of dozens. Algeria had upheld a moratorium on the death penalty since 1993, but in August, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered the justice minister to amend the penal code to broaden the list of crimes for which capital punishment is allowed. Lawmakers on Thursday also voted to extend ca…
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