{
  "id": 11232300,
  "title": "Algeria introduces death penalty for arsonists after deadly wildfires",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/algeria-introduces-death-penalty-for-arsonists-after-deadly-wildfires",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T16:31:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC World",
    "slug": "bbc-world",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cmge4exg44v5o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Algeria has enacted a law that imposes the death penalty on individuals convicted of setting fires in forests or fields following a series of deadly wildfires across the nation. The bill, approved by the national assembly on Thursday, also designated child abduction with torture, sexual assault, or mutilation as a capital offense. Capital punishment previously existed in Algeria's penal code for certain crimes, but no executions had taken place since 1993. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune directed the justice ministry to amend the criminal law after over 100 fires erupted in the northeast during a severe heatwave in northern Africa. The blazes have resulted in 12 confirmed deaths, though independent sources estimate the toll to be significantly higher, with investigative journalist Nozha Khelalef putting the figure at 200 based on death notices and information from local authorities. Under the new law, anyone found guilty of intentionally starting fires in natural settings could face execution. The justice minister, Lotfi Boudjemaa, stated that imposing the death penalty is a necessary measure to combat these crimes, which have reached the level of organized crime and have been linked to foreign parties, according to investigations. The upper house, the Council of the Nation, will scrutinize the law before its official ratification by the president. Algeria is no stranger to forest fires during the summer months, but climate change has intensified and worsened the severity of recent wildfires in the country.",
  "summary": "It is estimated more than 200 people have died in blazes in the north-east of the country over the summer.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Citizen",
        "title": "Algeria adopts law imposing death penalty on forest arsonists",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/algeria-adopts-law-imposing-death-penalty-on-forest-arsonists",
        "published": "2026-10-01T13:41:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Algeria adopts law imposing death penalty on forest arsonists",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/algeria-adopts-law-imposing-death-penalty-on-forest-arsonists-11236317",
        "published": "2026-10-01T16:30:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Death penalty bill for forest arsonists clears Algeria lower house",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/death-penalty-bill-for-forest-arsonists-clears-algeria-lower-house",
        "published": "2026-10-01T17:18:30.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}