Algeria lower house approves death-penalty bill for forest arsonists after deadly wildfires
Algeria's lower house has approved a penal-code amendment that would allow the death penalty for certain arson-related offences, following deadly wildfires in the country's north-east. Members of the National People's Assembly voted to back the change on Thursday, according to the supplied material. The measure now moves to the upper house, the Council of the Nation, before any final ratification by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune.
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The amendment would apply to anyone convicted of acts seen as undermining public security and order, national unity, or economic and environmental stability. Tebboune called for the change in September after wildfires killed at least 12 people, and the justice minister has defended it as the appropriate legal response. Algeria has maintained a long-standing moratorium on executions since 1993, although death sentences have still been handed down in some cases.
The move has drawn criticism from human rights organisations, which warned that the law could be used against political opponents. Amnesty International described it as a deeply retrograde response and urged the authorities to focus instead on prevention, emergency response and protecting lives. A coalition of rights groups also argued that the death penalty has never deterred arsonists and said perpetrators should be held accountable through other legal means.
The legislation comes against the backdrop of recurring summer wildfires in Algeria, where officials have said recent blazes have been severe. The government's response to fire-related violence has been closely watched since deadly fires in 2021, when authorities detained dozens of people, including members of the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie, which the state later designated a terrorist organisation. The latest bill therefore sits at the intersection of disaster response, criminal law and political tension.
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The debate also reflects broader questions about how Algeria handles public security and environmental damage during periods of extreme heat and fire risk. Supporters of the amendment say tougher penalties are needed to deter deliberate arson and protect lives and property. Critics argue that expanding capital punishment in this context risks widening state powers without addressing the underlying causes of the fires.
What remains unclear is how quickly the upper house will consider the bill and whether the president will sign it without changes. It is also not yet known whether any cases will be brought under the new wording, or how prosecutors will interpret the offences linked to public security and environmental stability. The final death toll from the recent wildfires has also not been independently resolved.
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