In-depth: Four years on from the Hirak movement, prominent activists look back on the once euphoric protests for freedom as repression and fear force Algerians to remain silent in the face of an emboldened authoritarian regime.
Zaki Hannache, an Algerian activist who applied for asylum in Tunisia, has said that he has obtained refugee status in Tunisia. The UN refugee agency UNHCR has not commented so far.
Human rights defenders say the Algerian government continues to impose restrictions on free association and free expression amidst a rise in gender-based violence.