The president of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, has instructed this Sunday the reform of the Penal Code, which must be ready before September 15, to incorporate the death penalty with forced execution against those who deliberately cause fires.
The decision has been announced after a meeting at the Presidential Palace with the military leadership and various high-ranking civil officials, including the Minister of Justice, Lofti Boumeh. To the latter, he has explicitly conveyed the order to adapt the Penal Code within that timeframe, so that the death penalty, with forced execution, is contemplated for those responsible for intentional fires once all avenues of appeal have been exhausted, according to the state agency APS.
"Whoever thinks that the law will not be applied, let them know that society and Justice will hold them accountable," warned the head of State, emphasizing that the reform of the Penal Code must receive the government's approval this week and, subsequently, be ratified by the People's National Assembly, respecting the timeline set for the processing of the measure.
Within this framework, Tebboune has ordered the governors of the wilayas affected by the fires to transfer to the security services all available data on the declared hotspots, specifying that several suspects have already been arrested for having started some of these fires.
"It is not normal for fires to occur simultaneously, like the one that broke out at one in the morning and spread rapidly without wind," he pointed out, later stressing that, although "we are affected by the loss of human lives, that will not defeat us."
At the same time, the president has announced the creation of committees responsible for preparing inventories and statistics in order to accurately assess the extent of the material and human damage caused by the fires and ensure their follow-up.
He has also assured that "the repair of the drinking water, gas, and electricity networks, as well as the communications network, will be carried out by next Saturday at the latest, to ensure the return of citizens to their homes comfortably and safely." "Now it is about facing and countering all those who try to weaken Algeria and undermine its unity," he emphasized.