Fake News Promoters During The Exceptional Situations To Face Death Penalty

The legal amendments carried out by the introductory draft law on the Penal Code in the part related to crimes threatening security and stability in the country, similar to the promotion of fake news to prejudice public order and security, and prejudice to state security and national unity, which are committed in the difficult situation must be aggravated and classified based on a felony which penalty is death, Chairman of the National Syndicate of Judges, Yessad Mabrouk, told Echorouk.

“Exceptional crises’ crimes are matched by exceptional penalties and include all misdemeanours that turn by the force of law into felonies, such as theft that is classified during their commission, in the ordinary situation with a misdemeanour which punishment ranges between two and 5 years, and turns into a felony which punishment may reach the death penalty in exceptional circumstances, such as wars, natural disasters and epidemics”.

“The situation is more severe when it comes to the crimes that have become widespread in recent years to the point of threatening the security and stability of the country, including the promotion of fake news to prejudice public order and security, prejudice to state security and national unity, and fraud to obtain financial and material aid and assistance in general, social exemptions, and acts affecting the integrity of exams and competitions, endangering the lives or physical safety of citizens”.

Echorouk’s interlocutor gave examples of this, such as intimidation, instiling fear and confusion, especially in the exceptional situation, which Algeria is experiencing due to the Corona pandemic, by spreading fake news that sends panic in the hearts of Algerians who are infected by the “COVID 19”, in a state of anxiety that causes them to stick to any news even if it is not true from those who spread rumours, under the framework of what is known as “Fake News”, as those who fabricate videos and pictures of the victims of Italy and France on the basis that they are in Algerian neighbourhoods.

Yessad Mabrouk suggested that tougher penalties should be discussed during the discussion of the draft law on the penal code that was recently presented to the Cabinet and approved, by classifying all crimes that threaten the security and stability of the country in an exceptional situation based on felonies and imposing the death penalty on its perpetrators.