Algeria’s president seeks death penalty for those who start forest fires
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has called for the death penalty for individuals convicted of intentionally starting forest fires. This follows a series of deadly wildfires that killed at least 12 people and injured 54 in the country's northeast.
Why it matters
The proposal highlights the extreme measures governments are considering to combat the rising threat of climate-driven wildfires and potential arson.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s call comes after wildfires killed at least 12 people and injured 54 in northeastern Algeria.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info A firefighter works to extinguish a fire, as a wildfire due to rising temperatures sweeps through several villages in the mountainous Bejaia province, in Taourirt Ighil, Algeria, on August 19, 2025 [Abdelaziz Boumzar/Reuters] By Al Jazeera Staff Published On 1 Sep 2026 1 Sep 2026 Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has called for the death penalty for anyone who deliberately starts a forest fire after at least 12 people died in wildfires in the country’s northeast.
Tebboune ordered Algeria’s justice minister on Sunday to submit a proposal by September 15 to amend the penal code to allow capital punishment for those convicted of intentionally setting forest fires, state media reported.
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