The expansion of crimes punishable by the death penalty in Algeria – adopted following the deadly fires of the summer – has drawn sharp condemnation from human rights organisations, which denounce it as a legal regression and a threat to freedom of expression.
Algerian authorities are being urged to repeal the new provisions that broaden the application of the death penalty and to refrain from resuming executions, which have been effectively suspended since 1993.
In a joint statement issued in October 2026, 15 human rights groups denounced a reform of the Penal Code, which was adopted in the wake of the forest fires that ravaged the northeast of the
country during the summer.
They warned of the risks posed by legislation that extends the death penalty to acts that do not
necessarily involve intentional homicide.
On August 30, following fires that particularly affected the provinces (wilayas) of Jijel, Béjaïa, and Tizi Ouzou, President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered a revision of the Penal Code and announced that individuals convicted of arson would face execution once all legal appeals had been exhausted.
The text was adopted by the National People’s Assembly on October 1, followed by the Council of the Nation on October 7, before being published in the Official Gazette on October 13.
The reform mandates the death penalty for certain acts of arson – targeting forests, fields, or property – as well as for the kidnapping of children involving abuse.
According to the signatory organisations, it also reintroduces provisions that preclude the consideration of mitigating circumstances.
This legislative fast-tracking, carried out without extensive public consultation, raises questions regarding the quality of parliamentary debate and the safeguards surrounding an irreversible form of punishment.
Organisations have, in particular, denounced the imprecise nature of terms such as “incitement” or “encouragement” regarding the setting of fires – including instances occurring on social media.
In a country where citizens are already being prosecuted for their online posts, these provisions could, they argue, pave the way for an overly broad interpretation of the law and further pressure freedom of expression.
Internationally, these new provisions are being challenged in light of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Algeria is a party. Article 6 of the Covenant limits the death penalty to the “most serious crimes.”
The United Nations Human Rights Committee interprets this threshold as applying only to crimes that involve intentional killing.
In a communication sent to the Algerian authorities on September 30, 2026, UN experts urged a review of the proposed measures to ensure they align with the country’s international commitments.
Furthermore, in 2018, the committee recommended that Algiers initiate a process toward abolition and refrain from introducing any new capital offenses.
MK/AK/Sf/fss/as/APA