The Hirak protests continued on Friday despite a recent ban on unauthorized protests. Those on the streets were met with massive police deployment and large-scale detentions

The human rights office urged the Algerian government to stop its ongoing systematic crackdown on anti-government protesters and activists of the Hirak movement

Ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for June 12, the government has announced a ban on unauthorized protests. The government reportedly fears the protests will lead to a low turnout in the polls

A sustained and systematic campaign by the Algerian government has targeted journalists and news portals critical of its policies. Several journalists have been arbitrarily detained or face judicial persecution  

Karim Tabbou was arrested on Wednesday in connection with a complaint filed against him for allegedly misbehaving with a government official in public. He was subsequently charged on eight counts including slander

The North African country witnessed massive demonstrations by Hirak protesters on April 9 demanding that the government unconditionally release all political prisoners on the eve of beginning of the holy Islamic month of Ramadan

Drareni was arrested last year in March and was detained without charge or trial while he was covering the Hirak protests in the country. He was charged with “inciting an unarmed gathering” and “endangering national unity”

According to Algerian prisoners’ rights group, the National Committee for the Liberation of Detainees, security forces arrested approximately 26 people in Algiers and 59 others across the country during the protests for unspecified reasons

The president also announced a government reshuffle within the next 48 hours and the issuance of presidential pardons to dozens of imprisoned Hirak protesters

Algerians gathered in the town of Kherrata where the first spark of the Hirak protests was lit in 2019. The protests led to the overthrow of then president Abdelaziz Bouteflika and have continued demanding the removal of the military and political elite of his time

The three Hirak activists – Mohamed Tadjadit (25), Noureddine Khimoud (25) and Abdelhak Ben Rahmani (38) – began a hunger strike on December 27 last year after they were denied bail and their pre-trial detention was extended by the authorities

Said Bouteflika, Mohamed Mediene and Bachir Tartag were acquitted by the military appeals court on Saturday after a retrial cleared them of conspiracy charges