Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has called for the death penalty for anyone intentionally causing wildfires, after blazes in the country's northeast killed at least 12 people.
According to state media, Tebboune instructed the Justice Minister on Sunday to submit a proposal by September 15 to amend the penal code to allow capital punishment for those convicted of deliberately setting fires. Algeria's penal code already provides for the death penalty for some crimes, but the country has not carried out any executions since 1993.
Previously, intentional arson could be punished with up to 30 years in prison, or life imprisonment in some cases.
Tebboune also ordered provincial governors to transfer all information about the fires to security agencies, suggesting that some blazes may have been deliberately set. “We watched videos and saw multiple fires erupt at the same time, around 1 a.m., which raises many questions,” he said.
The announcement came as Algeria observed three days of mourning for the 12 people killed in the provinces of Jijel, Bejaia, and Tizi Ouzou, with at least 54 others injured.
The president also instructed authorities to compensate affected families and set up committees to assess damages and determine compensation for damaged property. He asked officials to restore electricity, gas, water, and telecommunications in affected areas by Saturday at the latest, and directed housing agencies to arrange repairs for damaged homes. Tebboune stressed that normal life in affected areas should resume within a week.
At least 46 fires are still raging across the country, with a total of 193 fires recorded in the past 24 hours.
