Man Sets Himself on Fire to Avoid 10-Year Jail Sentence

A man in Algeria has set himself ablaze in front of the country’s Ministry of Justice in protest against a looming prison sentence, sparking public outrage and raising questions about judicial practices in the country.

The man, identified as Faouzi Zegout from the town of Frenda, approximately 340 kilometres west of Algiers, doused himself with petrol and set himself on fire near the ministry’s premises on Sunday, June 1, 2025.

According to reports, security guards on duty acted swiftly to extinguish the flames, preventing a fatal outcome. Zegout sustained only minor burns and is currently receiving treatment at a burns hospital in Algiers. “Faouzi Zegout is in the Algiers burns hospital, but is doing well,” reported local news outlet Frenda News on Facebook.

A video recorded by a friend moments before the act captured Zegout, dressed in a white shirt, black trousers, and a tie, explaining his decision. “It’s because of a judge at the Frenda court who arbitrarily threatened me with a 10-year prison sentence,” he said. Zegout claimed he was being punished for organising a medical fundraiser without official approval.

His act of self-immolation was reportedly intended to draw the attention of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to what he described as a gross injustice. Zegout had recently appeared in court over the unauthorised fundraiser, with a ruling scheduled for the same day he set himself on fire.

While such acts are rare in Algeria, they recall similar protests in neighbouring Tunisia, where self-immolation sparked the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Zegout’s protest has ignited conversation on social media, with many sympathising with his plight and calling for a review of the charges against him.

Algerian authorities are yet to release an official statement on the incident.