Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the introduction of the death penalty for deliberately setting forest fires, after recent blazes across the country killed 12 people.
Tebboune issued the directive during a high-level meeting convened to address the aftermath of the fires, attended by senior civilian and military officials, state television reported.
He instructed the justice minister to submit an amendment to the penal code by September 15, providing for capital punishment for anyone convicted of intentionally starting fires in forested areas.
Legal provisions
State television reported that the capital sentence would only be carried out once all legal avenues of appeal have been completely exhausted.
The death penalty remains on the books in Algeria’s criminal code for several offences; however, the country has maintained a de facto moratorium on carrying out executions since 1993.
Under existing legislation, deliberately starting forest fires is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, or life imprisonment in certain aggravated cases.
