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has imposed travel bans on Algerian-Canadian activists with links to the North African country's Ìýfrom flying home, two international human rights groups said on Friday.

Between January and April of this year, Lazhar Zouaimia, Hadjira Belkacem, and a third person,Ìýwho asked not to be named for security reasons, were prevented by the Algerian authoritiesÌýfromÌýreturning to their homes in Canada and interrogated about their links to theÌý, according to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

The three activists saidÌýthat they had not been notified of any legal basis for the travel restrictions.

"It is appalling that the Algerian authorities are preventing activists from going back to their country of residence, without even providing a legal basis for this refusal or a written justification,"Ìýsaid Amna Guellali, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Amnesty International.

"All arbitrary travel bans should immediately be lifted."

Eric Goldstein, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said: "These unjustified measures put diaspora Algerians who go home to visit in a precarious situation with no clear legal remedies."

After arriving in Algeria in January, Lazhar Zouaimia tried twice - in February and in April - to leave the country and return to Canada. He was held at the airports and interrogated both times.

After his attempt to leave Algeria in February,ÌýZouaimia was charged with "harmingÌýthe integrity of the national territory"Ìý- an accusation Amnesty and HRWÌýsaid is vague and has been used extensively by theÌýauthorities to punish Hirak activists.

Zouaimia spent five weeks in detention before a court provisionally released him pending his trial, the rights groups said. HeÌýwas finally allowed to leave Algeria on Thursday.

Twice-weeklyÌýHirakÌýprotests rocked major cities across the North African nation starting in early 2019, forcing Bouteflika to step down months later.

The protests continued to demand deep reforms to the country's governing system, until the coronavirus pandemic forced their suspension.

AlgerianÌýPresident AbdelmadjidÌýTebbouneÌýlast month and ordered "clemency measures" for 70 people detained over links to the country's Hirak protest movement, to coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.