Algerian President Seeks Death Penalty for Arson Following Deadly Wildfires

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is pushing to introduce the death penalty for arsonists following a series of devastating wildfires in the northeast of the country that resulted in 12 deaths last week. Mr Tebboune has instructed the Minister of Justice to implement this legal change by September 15.

During a meeting focused on the disaster, the president announced that multiple individuals have already been arrested in connection with the fires. According to the state news agency APS, he stated, “Whoever thinks that the law will not be applied, let him know that society and justice will take their due from him.”

While capital punishment exists within Algeria's criminal code for several offenses, its application has been effectively suspended since 1993. Currently, deliberately igniting forest fires carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a provision the president aims to alter.

The recent wildfires erupted amid an exceptional heatwave across North Africa, which hit Tunisia and Algeria particularly hard. Algeria's civil protection services documented 154 wildfires nationwide on Wednesday, with Bejaia province alone accounting for 36 of them. Half of these incidents have since been brought under control.

The tragic death toll includes five individuals in Jijel province, four in Bejaia, and three in Tizi Ouzou. Interior Minister Said Sayoud reported that 54 people sustained burn injuries, with six in critical condition and receiving care in intensive care units. In response to the tragedy, Mr Tebboune declared three days of national mourning.

Highlighting the suspicious nature of the disaster, the president noted, "It is not normal for fires to break out at the same time, like the one that broke out at one o'clock in the morning and spread quickly without any wind."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance is calculating compensation for all affected individuals regardless of the nature of their losses, as reported by APS. Authorities are also providing alternative housing for those who lost their homes and are establishing new building standards for properties located in forested areas.