Algeria has adopted a controversial law that could see arsonists of forests and fields sentenced to death after a string of deadly wildfires.
The National Assembly approved the bill, which also makes child abduction a capital offence, on Thursday. Executions have not been carried out since 1993, but the new law marks a shift toward harsher penalties.
Official figures put the death toll from the recent blazes at 12, but investigative journalist Nozha Khelalef reports that the true number could reach 200. The fires, triggered by an intense heatwave, struck more than 100 sites in the north‑east.
Justice Minister Lotfi Boudjemaa told parliament that the death penalty is a “necessary deterrent” as arson has reached the level of organised crime and may involve foreign actors.
The bill will be reviewed by the Council of the Nation before the president signs it into law. Critics fear the move could violate international human rights norms.
