Death penalty bill for forest arsonists clears Algeria lower house

What the report says

Algeria’s lower house of parliament has approved a bill that would allow courts to impose the death penalty on people convicted of arson linked to threats against public security, national unity, or environmental stability. The vote came after recent wildfires caused deaths and widespread damage in several parts of the country, and the measure was introduced after President Abdelmadjid Tebboune urged legal changes in response to the fires.

According to Al Jazeera’s reporting, the National People’s Assembly passed the amendment on Thursday, and the text now moves to the upper house, the Council of the Nation, before possible final approval by Tebboune. Algeria has maintained a long-standing moratorium on executions since 1993, although death sentences have still been issued in some cases.

The proposal drew criticism from human rights groups, which argued that the government could use the law against political opponents. Amnesty International described the measure as a step backward and urged authorities to focus on prevention, emergency response and protection of lives instead of capital punishment. Other rights groups said arsonists should be punished and required to make restitution, but questioned whether the death penalty deters such crimes.

Al Jazeera also noted earlier wildfire-related arrests in 2021, when authorities detained dozens of people, including members of a Kabylie self-determination movement that the state later labeled a terrorist group.