(../../../../favicon_aje.ico) Death penalty bill for forest arsonists clears Algeria lower house | Human Rights News | Al Jazeera    (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/1/death-penalty-bill-for-forest-arsonists-clears-algeria-lower-house)                                               (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2026/10/1/death-penalty-bill-for-forest-arsonists-clears-algeria-lower-house)  (https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2025-08-19T182134Z_2013025311_RC28AGANGFFH_RTRMADP_3_ALGERIA-WEATHER-WILDFIRE-1790867405.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440)  (../../../../wp-content/uploads/2026/10/2025-08-19T182134Z_2013025311_RC28AGANGFFH_RTRMADP_3_ALGERIA-WEATHER-WILDFIRE-1790867405.jpg@resize=770,513&quality=80)     (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org) (https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://www.google-analytics.com) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (https://static.chartbeat.com/) (../../../../static/css/vendor~main~d08ff9cb.24bf1742.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~748942c6.6c6e15fe.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~b07b7304.e3bc53a0.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~6e6dca10.74fd263a.r2.chunk.css) (../../../../static/css/component~main~5db14389.a7dc5dd5.r2.chunk.css) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Bold.52bb58c8.woff2) (https://www.aljazeera.com/static/media/Roboto-Regular.c5bf51b6.woff2)  (../../../../static/css/vendor~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-blo~5f903362.2e08e417.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~41c72a2c.3f309873.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/component~aje/containers/home-page~components/video-article/videoPageDispatcher~containers/amp-live-~06be7c11.0625e98d.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/pages/article-page~493df0b3.accd71c7.r2.chunk.css)  (../../../../static/css/common~493df0b3.ec3ab9b5.r2.chunk.css)   Skip links (death-penalty-bill-for-forest-arsonists-clears-algeria-lower-house@traffic_source=rss.html#main-content-area) Skip to Content  (https://www.aljazeera.com/)          (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Sign up  Show navigation menu     Navigation menu (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News    Show more news sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/africa/) Africa   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia/) Asia   (https://www.aljazeera.com/us-canada/) US & Canada   (https://www.aljazeera.com/latin-america/) Latin America   (https://www.aljazeera.com/europe/) Europe   (https://www.aljazeera.com/asia-pacific/) Asia Pacific      (https://www.aljazeera.com/middle-east/) Middle East   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/explainer/) Explained   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sports) Sport   (https://www.aljazeera.com/opinion/) Opinion   (https://www.aljazeera.com/videos/) Video   More   Show more sections  (https://www.aljazeera.com/aljazeera-originals) Originals   (https://www.aljazeera.com/features/) Features   (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/) Economy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   (https://www.aljazeera.com/climate-crisis) Climate Crisis   (https://www.aljazeera.com/investigations/) Investigations   (https://www.aljazeera.com/interactives/) Interactives   (https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/) In Pictures   (https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/science-and-technology/) Science & Technology   (https://www.aljazeera.com/audio/podcasts) Podcasts   (https://www.aljazeera.com/travel) Travel   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored/) Sponsored Content        (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/live) play    Live    Click here to search search     Sign up        (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/) News |(https://www.aljazeera.com/tag/human-rights/) Human Rights   Death penalty bill for forest arsonists clears Algeria lower house Human rights organisations accused Algiers of using the law to target political opposition groups.   Listen   Listen (2 mins)       Save       Share Death penalty bill for forest arsonists clears Algeria lower house on social media share-nodes    Share (https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fax3pq8) facebook      (https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Death%20penalty%20bill%20for%20forest%20arsonists%20clears%20Algeria%20lower%20house&source=sharethiscom&related=sharethis&via=AJEnglish&url=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fax3pq8) x    (whatsapp://send?text=https%3A%2F%2Faje.news%2Fax3pq8) whatsapp-stroke    (https://aje.news/ax3pq8)  copylink          google       Add Al Jazeera on Google  info      ()   A firefighter works to extinguish a fire, as a wildfire due to rising temperature sweeps through several villages in the mountainous Bejaia province, in Taourirt Ighil, Algeria, August 19, 2025. [Abdelaziz Boumzar/Reuters]   (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458)     By  (https://www.aljazeera.com/author/al_jazeera_staff_150119130629458) Al Jazeera Staff and AFP   Published On 1 Oct 2026 1 Oct 2026    The Algerian lower house has adopted a law that would allow the death penalty for those convicted of arson, after deadly wildfires have swept through the country’s forests. Members of the National People’s Assembly (APN) in parliament voted Thursday to amend the country’s penal code to allow the punishment for “anyone who attempts to undermine public security and order, national unity or economic and environmental stability”, according to Algerian media. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/8/29/08-29-26-algeria-wildfires-sv) Algeria wildfire death toll expected to rise as survivors say nothing left  list 2 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/video/newsfeed/2026/9/13/wildfire-rages-on-croatias-dalmatian-coast-island-of-brac) Wildfire rages on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast island of Brac  list 3 of 3 (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/20/central-colombia-forest-fire-threatens-tourist-town-of-villa-de-leyva) Central Colombia forest fire threatens tourist town of Villa de Leyva   end of list  President Abdelmadjid Tebboune (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/1/algerias-president-seeks-death-penalty-for-those-who-start-forest-fires) called for the amendment in September, after at least 12 people (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/27/at-least-12-dead-54-injured-as-wildfires-ravage-northeastern-algeria) died in wildfires in Algeria’s northeast. (A couple inspects their home, which was damaged by wildfires in the town of Djemaa Beni Habibi, Jijel, Algeria, Friday, September 4, 2026)  A couple inspects their home, which was damaged by wildfires in the town of Djemaa Beni Habibi, Jijel, Algeria, Friday, September 4, 2026 [Fateh Guidoum/AP]  The North African country has upheld a long-term (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/10/rights-group-condemns-algeria-after-mass-death-sentences) moratorium on capital punishment since the last case in 1993. Human rights organisations, however, urged Parliament not to adopt the law in September and accused the government of using the code as an excuse to employ capital punishment against political opposition groups. Amnesty International (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/15/algeria-faces-calls-to-drop-death-penalty-plans-after-wildfires) called the move “a deeply retrograde response”, adding that authorities should instead “focus on protecting lives, strengthening prevention and emergency response” in the face of recurring wildfires. A coalition of other human rights groups signed a letter calling on authorities to halt any changes to the penal code and suggested that the death penalty has “never deterred arsonists from committing their crimes”. Advertisement    They agreed that perpetrators must be held to account and provide restitution for the damage and loss of life. (Men attempt to put out a fire in Iboudraren village, in the mountainous Kabylie region of Tizi Ouzou, east of Algiers, Algeria, August 12, 2021)  Men attempt to put out a fire in Iboudraren village, in the mountainous Kabylie region of Tizi Ouzou, east of Algiers, Algeria, August 12, 2021 [Abdelaziz Boumzar/Reuters]  During (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/algeria-observes-day-of-mourning-as-wildfires-keep-raging) deadly wildfires in (https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/10/algeria-forest-fires) 2021 , Algeria detained at least 30 people, including seven members of the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie ((https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/19/algeria-review-relations-morocco-israel-wildfires) MAK ), which authorities declared a “(https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/24/algeria-cuts-diplomatic-ties-with-morocco) terrorist organisation”. Justice Minister Lotfi Boudjemaa defended the recent change and said, “The adoption of the death penalty for these acts is the appropriate legal response to curb these crimes.” Despite the moratorium, death sentences have been handed out before, including in “terror-related” cases. Tebboune said that those death sentences would be enacted once their appeals were exhausted. The law is now set to be reviewed by the upper house, the Council of the Nation, before being officially ratified by Tebboune.            aj-logo             aj-logo             aj-logo       Advertisement          About About   Show more  (https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us) About Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/code-of-ethics/) Code of Ethics   (https://www.aljazeera.com/terms-and-conditions/) Terms and Conditions   (https://www.aljazeera.com/eu-eea-regulatory/) EU/EEA Regulatory Notice   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/) Privacy Policy   (https://privacy.aljazeera.net/cookie/) Cookie Policy   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Cookie Preferences    (https://trust.aljazeera.net/accessibility/) Accessibility Statement   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sitemap) Sitemap   (https://careers.aljazeera.net/) Work for us      Connect Connect   Show more  (https://network.aljazeera.net/en/contact?tid=6) Contact Us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/user-accounts-help) User Accounts Help   (https://commercial.aljazeera.net/) Advertise with us   (https://www.aljazeera.com/stay-connected) Stay Connected   (https://www.aljazeera.com/newsletters) Newsletters   (https://sat.aljazeera.net/en) Channel Finder   (https://www.aljazeera.com/schedule/) TV Schedule   (https://www.aljazeera.com/podcasts/) Podcasts   (https://webapps.aljazeera.net/aje/tips/) Submit a Tip   (https://www.aljazeera.com/sponsored) Paid Partner Content      Our Channels Our Channels   Show more  (http://aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Arabic   (https://www.aljazeera.com/) Al Jazeera English   (https://www.ajiunit.com/) Al Jazeera Investigative Unit   (https://www.aljazeeramubasher.net/) Al Jazeera Mubasher   (http://doc.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Documentary   (http://balkans.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Balkans   (http://ajplus.net/) AJ+      Our Network Our Network   Show more  (http://studies.aljazeera.net/en/) Al Jazeera Centre for Studies   (http://training.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Media Institute   (http://learning.aljazeera.net/) Learn Arabic   (http://liberties.aljazeera.com/en) Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights   (http://forum.aljazeera.net/) Al Jazeera Forum   (https://hotels.aljazeera.net/en) Al Jazeera Hotel Partners        Follow Al Jazeera English: (https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera) facebook       (https://twitter.com/ajenglish) twitter     (https://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish) youtube     (https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/?hl=en) instagram-colored-outline                          (https://www.aljazeera.com/xml/rss/all.xml) rss     (https://bsky.app/profile/aljazeera.com) bluesky     (https://www.tiktok.com/@aljazeeraenglish) tiktok-colored-outline                  (Al Jazeera Media Network logo)   © 2026 Al Jazeera Media Network