An Algerian court condemned 49 individuals to death on Thursday for the lynching of a man who had been wrongly accused of igniting catastrophic forest fires in August of last year.&nbsp; However, since the last executions in 1993, the nation of North Africa has kept a moratorium on carrying out death penalties.

Djamel Ben Ismail, 38, was killed by onlookers after turning himself in at a police station in the Tizi Ouzou area.&nbsp;

At the height of the countrywide fires that claimed the lives of at least 90 people, he had gone there after learning that he was accused of setting them on fire.

Later, it was discovered that Ben Ismail had travelled to the area as a volunteer to assist in putting out the flames.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scottish-leader-calls-next-election-a-de-facto-referendum-after-uk-top-court-snub-537068">After UK top court snub, Scottish leader calls next election a 'de facto referendum'</a>

According to the APS news agency, a court in Dar El Beida on Thursday sentenced 49 persons to execution for (Ben Ismail's) murder and mutilation of his body.

The court also sentenced 28 more offenders to prison sentences ranging from two years to ten years without the possibility of release, the APS reported.

Videos from the period showed a throng approaching a police van, assaulting a guy inside, pulling him outside, and lighting him on fire while several took photos.

Despite his son's death, the victim's father, Noureddine Ben Ismail, was applauded for encouraging peace and "brotherhood" among Algerians.

Authorities accused arsonists and "criminals" for the breakouts, albeit a scorching temperature was a contributing factor.

Additionally, they cited the Kabylie region's independence movement, which is located east of Algiers along the Mediterranean coast and is populated primarily by Berbers.

(With inputs from agencies)

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An Algerian court condemned 49 individuals to death on Thursday for the lynching of a man who had been wrongly accused of igniting catastrophic forest fires in August of last year.

An Algerian court condemned 49 individuals to death on Thursday for the lynching of a man who had been wrongly accused of igniting catastrophic forest fires in August of last year. However, since the last executions in 1993, the nation of North Africa has kept a moratorium on carrying out death penalties. Djamel Ben Ismail, 38, was killed by onlookers after turning himself in at a police station in the Tizi Ouzou area. At the height of the countrywide fires that claimed the lives of at least 90 people, he had gone there after learning that he was accused of setting them on fire. Later, it was discovered that Ben Ismail had travelled to the area as a volunteer to assist in putting out the flames. Also read | After UK top court snub, Scottish leader calls next election a 'de facto referendum' According to the APS news agency, a court in Dar El Beida on Thursday sentenced 49 persons to execution for (Ben Ismail's) murder and mutilation of his body. The court also sentenced 28 more offenders to prison sentences ranging from two years to ten years without the possibility of release, the APS reported. Videos from the period showed a throng approaching a police van, assaulting a guy inside, pulling him outside, and lighting him on fire while several took photos. Despite his son's death, the victim's father, Noureddine Ben Ismail, was applauded for encouraging peace and "brotherhood" among Algerians. Authorities accused arsonists and "criminals" for the breakouts, albeit a scorching temperature was a contributing factor. Additionally, they cited the Kabylie region's independence movement, which is located east of Algiers along the Mediterranean coast and is populated primarily by Berbers. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Algeria: 49 sentenced to death for setting afire man wrongly accused of igniting deadly forest fire

There have been daily attacks against the properties of minorities and their religious sites in Pakistan due to blasphemy charges that are fake or erroneous.

In a recent study on the blasphemy issue in Pakistan, a local think tank, the Centre for Research and Security Studies, disclosed that 89 people were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy allegations in the country between 1947 and 2021.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-lawmakers-seek-sanctions-against-pakistan-bill-sent-to-us-foreign-affairs-committee-461213" hreflang="en">US lawmakers seek sanctions against Pakistan; bill sent to US Foreign Affairs Committee</a>

The report also found that 1,287 citizens were accused of blasphemy between 2011 and 2021, which is when TLP was most active and expanded its support base across the country.

Pakistan has the second-strictest blasphemy laws in the world after Iran, according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom Report (2016). But the most worrying fact is that, in most blasphemy cases, the perpetrator is either eulogised as the "saviour" of Islam, in case they receive a judicial sentence, or released under the pressure of religious extremists.

Mob justice is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan.&nbsp;

Some of the cases that gained prominence include that of a mentally challenged man being stoned to death by an angry mob on February 12 for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/faced-with-no-trust-vote-desperate-imran-khan-rushes-to-powerful-godman-for-support-460846" hreflang="en">Faced with no-trust vote, desperate Imran Khan rushes to powerful godman for support, but is denied meeting</a>

A mob vandalised and set ablaze a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district in November 2021 after the local authorities refused to hand over a man arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.

The lynching of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager, in Punjab's Sialkot city in December is still fresh in the memory.

In Pakistan, extrajudicial vigilantism isn't the only reason for killings over blasphemy accusations. The reasons for their actions range from religious to political to personal and petty disputes, as well as international connections.

Extremists support the most severe implementation of draconian blasphemy laws in order to subjugate lower-class citizens, Ahmadiyyas and Shias, as well as Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs.

Watch |&nbsp;Pakistan: 19 including opposition JUI-F members arrested

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistan-19-including-opposition-jui-f-members-arrested-461125/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

These laws are a legacy of the Islamic military dictator General Ziaul Haq, who used them to appease hard-line Islamist forces in Pakistan.

Under Imran Khan, however, the menace of blasphemy killings has reached a new height with the government giving space to Islamist groups such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a Sunni Barelvi outfit.

As a result of the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan, hard-line Islamist forces in Pakistan have gained strength. All of these factors point to more blasphemy killings in the future.

There have been daily attacks against the properties of minorities and their religious sites in Pakistan due to blasphemy charges that are fake or erroneous. In a recent study on the blasphemy issue in Pakistan, a local think tank, the Centre for Research and Security Studies, disclosed that 89 people were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy allegations in the country between 1947 and 2021.

There have been daily attacks against the properties of minorities and their religious sites in Pakistan due to blasphemy charges that are fake or erroneous. In a recent study on the blasphemy issue in Pakistan, a local think tank, the Centre for Research and Security Studies, disclosed that 89 people were extra-judicially killed over blasphemy allegations in the country between 1947 and 2021. Also read | US lawmakers seek sanctions against Pakistan; bill sent to US Foreign Affairs Committee The report also found that 1,287 citizens were accused of blasphemy between 2011 and 2021, which is when TLP was most active and expanded its support base across the country. Pakistan has the second-strictest blasphemy laws in the world after Iran, according to the US Commission on International Religious Freedom Report (2016). But the most worrying fact is that, in most blasphemy cases, the perpetrator is either eulogised as the "saviour" of Islam, in case they receive a judicial sentence, or released under the pressure of religious extremists. Mob justice is not a new phenomenon in Pakistan. Some of the cases that gained prominence include that of a mentally challenged man being stoned to death by an angry mob on February 12 for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran. Also read | Faced with no-trust vote, desperate Imran Khan rushes to powerful godman for support, but is denied meeting A mob vandalised and set ablaze a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda district in November 2021 after the local authorities refused to hand over a man arrested for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran. The lynching of Priyantha Kumara, a Sri Lankan factory manager, in Punjab's Sialkot city in December is still fresh in the memory. In Pakistan, extrajudicial vigilantism isn't the only reason for killings over blasphemy accusations. The reasons for their actions range from religious to political to personal and petty disputes, as well as international connections. Extremists support the most severe implementation of draconian blasphemy laws in order to subjugate lower-class citizens, Ahmadiyyas and Shias, as well as Christians, Hindus, and Sikhs. Watch | Pakistan: 19 including opposition JUI-F members arrested These laws are a legacy of the Islamic military dictator General Ziaul Haq, who used them to appease hard-line Islamist forces in Pakistan. Under Imran Khan, however, the menace of blasphemy killings has reached a new height with the government giving space to Islamist groups such as Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a Sunni Barelvi outfit. As a result of the Taliban's victory in Afghanistan, hard-line Islamist forces in Pakistan have gained strength. All of these factors point to more blasphemy killings in the future.

Blasphemy accusations, mob lynchings against religious minorities on a rise in Imran Khan's Pakistan

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Algeria: 49 sentenced to death for setting afire man wrongly accused of igniting deadly forest fire

Blasphemy accusations, mob lynchings against religious minorities on a rise in Imran Khan's Pakistan