Amnesty International has urged Algeria to abandon plans to expand the use of the death penalty and resume executions after more than three decades.
The call follows President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s directive to amend the Penal Code to introduce the death penalty for people accused of intentionally starting or instigating wildfires.
The directive followed devastating fires in northeastern Algeria between August 26 and 30. Official figures recorded 12 deaths and 54 hospitalisations, although Amnesty says credible sources have reported significantly higher casualties.
Tebboune has also indicated that the proposed amendments would extend the death penalty to child abductors and abusers.
Algeria has not carried out an execution since 1993, although courts continue to issue death sentences. The country expanded capital punishment to some drug-related offences in 2025.
Amnesty has called for an official moratorium on executions as a step towards abolishing the death penalty.
The rights group says authorities should instead conduct independent and transparent investigations into the wildfires, including possible failures in prevention and emergency response.
The government has previously attributed some fires to criminal activity. Between July 26 and September 10, authorities announced the detention of 20 people for investigations involving arson and “subversion”.
The debate comes as Algeria faces increasingly severe wildfire risks linked to drought, heat and climate change.
