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

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 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

Tabbou, the leader of the the Democratic Social Union party, is a prominent face of the Hirak protests that began last year. Following the deposition of long-time president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the protesters have continued to demand structural change