The Algerian National People's Council deputies voted on Thursday to amend the penal code to expand the scope of the death penalty to include perpetrators of forest arson. This measure was advocated by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune following devastating wildfires that ravaged the country last summer. Following the presentation of the law for a vote by a show of hands, Khaleda Boufedch, President of the National People's Council, announced the approval. The amendment comes as a direct response to the severe wildfires experienced in Algeria, intending to deter such crimes through harsher penalties. The decision aims to address concerns about deliberate arson and its impact on the nation’s forests. This legislative change signifies a firm stance against environmental crimes in Algeria. The article originally appeared on Hespress, a Moroccan online newspaper.