Algeria moves to reinstate death penalty for arsonists after deadly forest fires

Algeria's president has said he wants to reinstate the death penalty for people convicted of starting forest fires, after a wave of blazes killed at least 12 people. Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered the justice ministry to prepare changes to the criminal law following the fires, which have affected northern parts of the country. Officials said more than 100 wildfires were recorded in recent days, most of them in the north-east.

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Tebboune said on Saturday that he was not ruling out foul play, and said investigations would be carried out because of the intensity of the fires. On Sunday, he set a 15 September deadline for amendments that would allow capital punishment for anyone convicted of intentionally starting a fire in forested areas. Under current law, deliberately starting forest fires can bring up to 30 years in prison, or life imprisonment in some cases.

Capital punishment remains in Algeria's penal code for some offences, but no execution has been carried out since 1993. The fires have caused widespread destruction, injured dozens of people and displaced thousands, according to the supplied report. Civil authorities were still battling some of the blazes on Sunday afternoon, although 18 of the 19 fires that had broken out in the previous 24 hours had been extinguished.

The president also ordered compensation for affected families, along with repairs to damaged homes and essential services. He said there would be investigations into the extent of the damage and losses caused by the fires. The latest move comes as Algeria faces repeated summer wildfire seasons, with the current outbreak unfolding during an intense heatwave in northern Africa.

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The supplied report says Algeria and Tunisia have been particularly affected by the weather conditions. It also notes that climate change has exacerbated the intensity and severity of recent wildfires in Algeria, adding pressure on emergency services and local authorities. The scale of the response suggests the fires are being treated not only as a disaster response issue but also as a possible criminal and security matter.

The president's comments also reflect concern about the possibility of deliberate arson, which officials have not ruled out. That question is likely to shape the investigations now under way, alongside assessments of the damage and the needs of displaced residents. The legal changes ordered by Tebboune would need to be completed by mid-September, according to the report.

It remains unclear how quickly the amendments can be adopted, what evidence investigators may find, and whether the proposed penalty will be applied in practice. For now, firefighters and civil authorities continue to deal with remaining fires while the government prepares its legal response. The immediate focus is on extinguishing the last blazes, supporting affected families and repairing damaged infrastructure.

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