Algeria's Parliament approves reinstatement of death penalty

The Algerian Council of the Nation has unanimously approved amendments to the penal code that would reinstate the death penalty for several high-risk crimes. This legislative move follows a prior approval by the lower house, the People's National Assembly.

The expanded scope of capital offenses includes the intentional setting of forest and woodland fires, willful sabotage of public or private property for foreign entities, treason, espionage, and organized crime. Additionally, the law targets crimes threatening national security, public order, economic stability, and environmental safety, as well as stricter penalties for child abduction.

While the parliamentary approval is complete, the law must still undergo constitutional review by the Constitutional Court to ensure compliance before being sent to the President for ratification and publication in the official gazette. If finalized, this would mark the resumption of actual executions in Algeria, which have been frozen since 1993, despite courts continuing to issue death sentences during the suspension period.