Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the drafting of a new bill that would introduce the death penalty for individuals found guilty of intentionally starting forest fires. This directive follows a series of devastating wildfires that recently claimed the lives of 12 people in the country.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, citing international media reports, President Tebboune chaired a high-level meeting attended by senior civil and military officials to address the damage caused by the fires and to implement necessary preventative measures. During the meeting, the President instructed the Minister of Justice to submit the draft amendments to the Criminal Code by September 15.
The proposed legislation aims to significantly toughen penalties for those who deliberately set fire to forest areas, with the death penalty being the most severe measure under consideration. While the death penalty currently exists in Algerian law, it has not been carried out since 1993. Under existing legislation, the maximum penalty for arson is typically 30 years in prison, though life imprisonment can be applied in certain circumstances. The new directive seeks to elevate these penalties to capital punishment, which would be executed following the completion of all standard judicial and appellate processes.
