Protesters carry portraits of political prisoners and a cage that organisers said represented the state of political life in the country.
Hundreds of Tunisian activists have protested against President Kais Saied, calling his rule since 2021 an “authoritarian regime” that has turned the country into an “open-air prison”.
The protesters marched in capital Tunis on Friday, marking four years since Saied made moves to consolidate his one-man rule in a country once known as the birthplace of the Arab Spring pro-democracy uprisings.
Chanting the slogan, “The Republic is a large prison,” they demanded the release of jailed opposition leaders, including Rached Ghannouchi, head of Ennahdha, the self-styled “Muslim Democrat” party, and Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party.
They are among dozens of politicians, lawyers, activists and journalists facing lengthy prison sentences under anti-terrorism and conspiracy laws. Others have fled the country, seeking asylum in Western countries.
