Both countries have expelled each other’s diplomats as the latest diplomatic row, triggered by the arrest and indictment of an Algerian consular officer in France earlier this month, continues to escalate.

Tabbou, like most other leaders of Algeria’s pro-reform Hirak protests (2019-20), has been consistently harassed and persecuted by the state with arrests and jail terms

According to media reports, the clemency orders issued on Sunday included the Hirak activists released from pre-trial detention last week on a provisional basis

Several commentators and social media users in Algeria have noted that the release coincides with the visit of a high-ranking US official and likely took placedue to politically motivated reasons

Ghares was convicted on charges of insulting the president and harming national unity. He was sentenced to two years in prison in January

The independent journalist was arrested in March 2020 and charged with various serious offenses while he was covering the anti-establishment Hirak protests in Algeria

Ghares was arrested and placed in pre-trial detention last year in July after police raided and searched his home

According to Algerian human rights organizations, at least 300 people are currently in jail due to their participation in the Hirak protests

He has been arrested on multiple charges, including for allegedly allegedly insulting president Abdelmadjid Tebboune 

The recently concluded legislative elections on June 12 saw no party win a majority in the parliament 

The latest round of Hirak protests saw police place multiple restrictions in Algiers and other parts of the country. Friday’s mobilizations were the second round since the government announced a ban on unauthorized demonstrations

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