Amnesty International has called on Algerian authorities to reverse President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s initiative to introduce the death penalty for wildfire arson, raising concerns that the legislation could be weaponized against domestic dissent. The human rights organization issued its statement on Tuesday, urging an immediate cessation of the proposed legal amendments.
The push to broaden capital sentencing followed catastrophic wildfires last month in northeastern Algeria that claimed at least 12 lives and injured 54 others. The blazes decimated entire villages in the Kabylie region and surrounding areas.
In response to the disaster, President Tebboune directed Justice Minister Lotfi Boudjemaa to revise the penal code to classify arson as a capital offense. The proposed changes would also extend the death penalty to those convicted of abducting or abusing children. Tebboune confirmed that individuals sentenced to death would retain the right to appeal before any execution takes place.
Algeria has not carried out an execution in over three decades. Despite this moratorium, rights advocates fear the new laws may serve repressive ends. Amnesty accused the government of exploiting the proposed measures to suppress political opposition, noting that 20 individuals were arrested between July 26 and September 10 on charges of arson and subversion, the latter carrying potential terrorism-related penalties.
The organization pointed to historical precedents, citing the 2021 wildfires that killed 90 people. During that crisis, the government prosecuted numerous defendants on terrorism charges and blamed the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), an opposition group designated as a terrorist organization by the state.
Rather than pursuing alleged arsonists, Amnesty urged the administration to address the underlying drivers of climate-related disasters. “Accountability for the devastating loss of life caused by wildfires cannot be reduced to pursuing alleged perpetrators of arson,” the group stated, emphasizing the need to focus on root causes rather than punitive measures.
Are we really solving climate disasters with more executions? The focus should be on infrastructure and prevention, not fear.
It is alarming how quickly disaster response can shift toward repression. History shows this pattern often ends badly for civil liberties.