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

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