On Thursday, 49 people were sentenced to death by an Algerian court for the lynching of a man who had been falsely accused of starting devastating forest fires in August of last year. However, the country of North Africa has maintained a moratorium on using the capital penalty since the last executions in 1993.
Djamel Ben Ismail, 38, surrendered to authorities in the Tizi Ouzou region and was afterward slain by bystanders. He had gone there when he had learned that he had been charged with starting the nationwide fires that had killed at least 90 people. Ben Ismail had come to the area as a volunteer to help put out the fires, it was later discovered.
The court also sentenced 28 more defendants to prison terms ranging from two to ten years
A court in Dar El Beida, according to the APS news agency, condemned 49 people to death on Thursday for killing (Ben Ismail) and dismembering his body. According to APS, the court also sentenced 28 more defendants to prison terms ranging from two to ten years without the chance of parole. Videos from the time period showed a mob approaching a police van, attacking a man inside, yanking him outside, and setting him ablaze while numerous people snapped pictures.
The victim’s father, Noureddine Ben Ismail, was praised for promoting harmony and “brotherhood” among Algerians despite the murder of his son. Authorities blamed “criminals” and arsonists for the outbreaks, even if the extreme heat had a role. They also mentioned the independence movement in the Kabylie region. Which is mainly Berber-populated and situated along the Mediterranean coast east of Algiers.
