Algeria Moves To Introduce Death Penalty For Deliberate Forest Fires

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the introduction of a proposed death penalty for people convicted of deliberately setting forest fires. The directive follows recent wildfires that killed 12 people. The justice minister has been instructed to submit an amendment to the penal code by September 15, while any death sentence would only be carried out after all appeals have been exhausted. Algeria has retained the death penalty in law but has not carried out executions since 1993.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered steps towards introducing the death penalty for people convicted of deliberately setting forest fires, following a series of devastating wildfires that killed at least 12 people across the country.
Tebboune issued the directive during a high-level meeting held to assess the impact of the fires and the government’s response. The meeting was attended by senior civilian and military officials, according to Algerian state television.
The president instructed the justice minister to prepare an amendment to the country’s penal code by September 15. The proposed amendment would allow courts to impose the death penalty on anyone found guilty of intentionally starting fires in forested areas.

DEATH SENTENCE WOULD FOLLOW FULL APPEAL PROCESS

According to state television, any death sentence would not be carried out until the convicted person had exhausted all available legal avenues of appeal.
The move represents a major escalation in Algeria’s punishment for deliberate forest fires, reflecting the seriousness with which authorities are treating the destruction caused by the recent blazes.
The fires have affected communities and forested areas, with 12 people reported killed and authorities facing renewed concerns over the country’s vulnerability to destructive wildfires.

CURRENT LAW ALREADY CARRIES HEAVY PUNISHMENT

Under Algeria’s existing laws, deliberately starting forest fires can result in a prison sentence of up to 30 years.
In aggravated circumstances, offenders can face life imprisonment.
The proposed amendment would therefore introduce the possibility of the ultimate criminal punishment for cases involving intentional forest fires.
The government’s position is that deliberately setting fires is not simply an act of property destruction. Large forest fires can threaten entire communities, destroy homes and farmland, disrupt livelihoods and place firefighters and emergency workers in extreme danger.

ALGERIA HAS NOT CARRIED OUT AN EXECUTION SINCE 1993

Although the death penalty remains part of Algeria’s criminal code for several offences, the country has maintained a de facto moratorium on executions since 1993.
This means that while courts can still impose death sentences in applicable cases, Algeria has not carried out executions for more than three decades.
If the proposed amendment is approved, courts could therefore begin handing down death sentences for intentional forest-fire offences, although the existing moratorium would remain an important factor in determining whether such sentences are actually carried out.

WILDFIRES PUT PRESSURE ON AUTHORITIES

Algeria, like other Mediterranean countries, faces recurring wildfire risks, particularly during periods of high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds.
The latest deaths have renewed pressure on authorities to strengthen forest protection, improve early detection and ensure that communities threatened by fires can be evacuated quickly.
While natural conditions can contribute to the spread of wildfires, deliberately started fires are especially difficult for authorities to prevent and can rapidly become deadly when they occur in dry and heavily forested areas.
Tebboune’s directive signals a tougher approach towards those accused of intentionally starting such fires, as the government seeks to deter acts that can have devastating consequences for people, forests and local economies.