Roundup: Child kidnapping triggers debate over death penalty restoration in Algeria

Politicians, lawyers and the public in Algeria have showed divergent views on the issue of the restoration of death penalty, exclusively against child kidnappers.

The controversy was sparked after the abduction and assassination of Nihal Si Mohand, a 4-year-old girl, in Tizi Ouzou province, 100 km southeast of the capital Algiers.

The girl was kidnapped on July 21 near her grandfather's house in Ouacif village, in the upper region of Tizi Ouzou.

Remains of her little body were found earlier in August, as forensics confirmed that they belong to Nihal. The investigation is still underway.

Speaking on the topic, Secretary General of the National Democratic Rally (RND), the ruling party, Ahmed Ouyahia said "the RND endorses the popular demand for the application of death penalty against child kidnappers and supports any legislation that would reactivate the suspended penalty in the parliament."

Algeria has suspended death penalty since 1993. Even if judges continue to sentence people to death, the condemnation is systematically commuted to life imprisonment.

Yet, Head of the pro-government Consultative Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, Farouk Ksentini, suggests to go through a popular referendum to request the temporary freezing of the agreement signed by Algeria with international bodies, which would allow the North African nation to "justify" the reactivation of death penalty vis-à-vis international public opinion.

However, unlike parties deemed close to the government as well as Islamists who demand the application of the canonical principle "eye for eye, tooth for tooth," the secular opposition has clearly displayed rejection to the reactivation of death penalty, urging for the outright abolition of this "overage" sentence.

In this regard, Secretary General of the Workers Party Louisa Hanoune accused "some parties of politicizing the Nihal issue," saying "they are trying to manipulate the death penalty issue for electoral purposes."

She said she supports the family of the little girl, yet considered that "it is illogical to claim both modernity and obscurantism."

This opinion was shared by President of the Algerian League for the Defense of Human Rights (LADDH), Noureddine Benissad. He said dealing with such issues requires "a serene climate."

He argued that those who are supporting for the reactivation of death penalty are reacting on the heat, as they are furious at the tragedy of little Nihal.

The human rights activist said "death penalty has never been a solution to stop crimes and assassinations."

While the public, pro and anti-government parties have delivered their opinions over the issue of death penalty, the authorities still remain mute. Endit