Event Summary
The president of the Court of Béjaïa, Mustapha Smati, has publicly declared that it will “soon return to the application of the death penalty“, suspended since 1993, in certain cases considered particularly serious: child abduction and drug trafficking in schools. These words were widely reported by the Algerian press and social networks and were presented by many as an announcement of an imminent resumption of capital executions in Algeria. The magistrate justified this prospect by indicating that it would meet the commitments of President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, in connection with his opening speech of the 2025-2026 judicial year. The judicial authorities also insist on a context of strong public emotion after cases of kidnapping and murder of children, as well as on the concern related to the circulation of drugs in schools. Faced with the shock caused by these statements, a government source indicated that it is not yet an enforceable decision, but an “orientation” or an internal reflection on the possible lifting of the moratorium that has blocked executions since 1993.