Amnesty International has called on Algeria to abandon plans to expand the death penalty and resume executions, following presidential proposals to classify wildfire arson as a capital crime. In a statement issued on September 15, 2026, the human rights organization urged an immediate halt to President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s directives. Algeria has not executed anyone in over 30 years.
The initiative to broaden capital punishment gained traction after wildfires last month resulted in at least 12 fatalities and 54 injuries, devastating entire villages in the Kabylie region and other northeastern areas. In response to the wildfires, President Tebboune instructed Justice Minister Lotfi Boudjemaa to amend the law to include arson as a capital offense, along with crimes involving child abduction and abuse.
Tebboune stated that individuals sentenced to death would have the right to appeal before execution. Amnesty International accused the Algerian government of potentially using the expanded death penalty to suppress political opposition. The rights group reported that 20 individuals were arrested for arson and subversion, a charge that may be linked to terrorism, between July 26 and September 10.
Following the 2021 wildfires that resulted in 90 deaths, the government prosecuted numerous individuals on terrorism-related charges, attributing blame to the Movement for the Self-Determination of Kabylie (MAK), which the government designates as a terrorist organization. Amnesty International emphasized the need for the government to address the underlying causes of climate-related disasters rather than focusing solely on prosecuting alleged arsonists. The organization stated, "Accountability for the devastating loss of life caused by wildfires cannot be reduced to pursuing alleged perpetrators of arson."