Algerian president pushes for capital punishment for arsonists after deadly wildfires

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the justice minister to propose amending the penal code to allow the death penalty for deliberate arson. The move follows wildfires in northeastern Algeria that killed at least 12 people and injured 54. Tebboune also cited suspicious timing of the blazes, suggesting they may have been set intentionally.

The proposed amendment would mark a significant shift in Algeria's penal code, which currently imposes up to 30 years imprisonment or life sentences for deliberate arson. Algeria has maintained a moratorium on executions since 1993 despite retaining capital punishment for certain offenses. Tebboune's directive gives the justice ministry until September 15 to draft the legislative change.

The president's suspicion of coordinated arson stems from surveillance footage showing multiple fires igniting simultaneously around 1am across Jijel, Bejaia, and Tizi Ouzou provinces. Meanwhile, emergency crews continue battling 46 active blazes, with 193 fires recorded in a single 24-hour period. Authorities have been ordered to restore utilities and compensate affected households.