At the time of his arrest, Abdelhaï worked for a regional radio station in Tébessa, 600 km east of Algiers, and was the local correspondent of the Arabic-language daily Jaridati.
[2] He was arrested on 18 August 2013 for allegedly helping Jaridati editor Hicham Aboud to flee the country to escape prosecution.
[2] On 5 November 2014, after his lawyer's fourth request for a provisional release was rejected, he began a hunger strike to protest his detention without trial.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) criticized Abdelhaï's detention, stating "By holding this journalist for 15 months without trial, the Algerian authorities have violated his fundamental rights, above all, his right to freedom and a fair trial," RSF programme director Lucie Morillon said in November 2013.
Instead of holding the public rally, the protesters held a sit-in inside the press house.