Algeria Wants Death Penalty for Individuals Who Burn Forests
ALGIERS: Algeria’s President yesterday ordered the implementation of the death penalty against any party who intentionally burns forests, following a series of the latest fires across the country that claimed 12 lives.
Abdelmadjid Tebboune issued the directive while chairing a high-level meeting regarding measures to address the impact of the fires, which was also attended by senior officials and the military, reported state television.
He instructed the Minister of Justice to submit the legal amendment by September 15, to provide for the death penalty for individuals convicted of intentionally burning forest areas.
State television revealed that the death penalty would only be carried out after all legal appeal processes have been completed and fully exhausted.
The death penalty actually remains in Algeria’s penal code for several other criminal offences, however the country has observed a de facto moratorium (suspension of execution) on the death penalty since 1993.
Under existing legal provisions, the act of intentionally burning forests can be punished with imprisonment of up to 30 years or life imprisonment for certain cases.
ANADOLU