Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the introduction of the death penalty for deliberately setting forest fires after a recent wave of blazes killed 12 people. The move comes as authorities investigate fires that erupted across several eastern provinces.
Tebboune issued the directive on Sunday during a high-level meeting on the response to 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 introducing capital punishment for anyone convicted of intentionally setting fire to forested areas.
State television said any death sentence would only be carried out after all legal avenues of appeal had been exhausted.
The death penalty is already provided for under Algeria’s criminal code for several offences, but the country has observed a de facto moratorium on executions since 1993.
Tebboune called on provincial governors to provide security authorities with all available information about the outbreak of the fires.
The president said videos showing several fires breaking out at around 1 a.m. had raised questions over whether some of the blazes were deliberately started.
Under current law, intentionally setting forest fires can result in up to 30 years in prison, or life imprisonment in certain circumstances.
Tebboune also ordered immediate compensation for families affected by the fires.
Committees are to assess the damage and determine compensation for destroyed or damaged property.
He further instructed authorities to restore electricity, gas, water and telecommunications services in affected areas by Saturday at the latest.
The housing minister was ordered to coordinate with construction companies to repair damaged homes within fixed deadlines.
Tebboune said normal life in areas hit by the fires should resume within a week, as authorities work to address the destruction caused by the blazes.
Algeria’s Interior Ministry announced on Wednesday that 12 people had died in the latest wave of wildfires across several eastern provinces, according to local media.
