Source: Amnesty International –
Responding to the lower house of the Algerian Parliament adopting today legal amendments that expand the scope of the death penalty after more than three decades without any executions, Amnesty International’s Diana Eltahawy, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said:
“Today’s decision by the Algerian People’s National Assembly to approve these regressive amendments to the Penal Code is a devastating blow for human rights and is at odds with Algeria’s international human rights obligations.
“The lower house parliamentary vote took place just one month after devastating wildfires erupted across north-eastern Algeria between 26 and 30 August. Within days, Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered the Minister of Justice to amend the country’s Penal Code to ‘reintroduce’ the death penalty for arson, warning that anyone who exhausted their right of appeal would face execution. The Minister of Justice also warned the press that the death penalty would be applied.
“The amendments, which were rushed through parliament in a process devoid of meaningful consultations with relevant stakeholders, including human rights NGOs and lawyers, introduced the death penalty for broadly worded actions such as inciting, encouraging or facilitating arson, including on social media, as well as the abduction, torture and sexual assault of children.
“It is deeply alarming that the Algerian authorities are moving so quickly to follow through on their plans to expand the scope of the death penalty. This dangerous step backwards, coupled with threats to resume executions for the first time in more than 30 years, contradicts Algeria’s consistent support to UN General Assembly resolutions calling for a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty and runs contrary to the global trend towards its abolition.
“Algerian lawmakers must reject the amendments to the Penal Code in the upcoming vote in the Council of the Nation, the upper house of parliament, and halt all plans to expand Algeria’s use of the death penalty.
“While the devastating wildfires demand thorough investigations and accountability, the tragic loss of life they caused must not be used to justify further loss of life. The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment and an assault on the right to life. Instead of broadening its application, Algeria’s authorities should establish an official moratorium on executions as a first step towards full abolition of the death penalty.
“Algeria’s response to the wildfires must ensure respect for the right to effective remedy, including providing guarantees of non-repetition. While authorities have announced compensation for victims and plans to provide more resources for firefighters, they have yet to disclose comprehensive casualty figures for the fires and officials have focused on highlighting the responsibility of alleged arsonists and foreign entities before judicial investigations concluded. Genuine accountability must involve a thorough investigation into all factors that contributed to loss of life, including any failures by public officials in prevention or in emergency response procedures.”