Thousands of Tunisians gathered on Saturday in the capital to protest against the jailing of government critics, the curtailing of liberties and economic conditions in the North African country.

At least 2,000 people, including activists and political party members, marched for more than two hours through Tunis to demonstrate "against injustices" at a rally organised by the committee defending jailed lawyer Ahmed Souab.

The protest was the largest in the latest wave that has swept Tunisia involving journalists, doctors, banks and public transport systems.

Dressed in black and with whistles and red ribbons, the demonstrators shouted "Freedom, freedom!" and called for the release of dozens of opposition figures, journalists, lawyers and humanitarian workers jailed in recent years.

Many of those have been held on charges of plotting against President Kais Saied, or on accusations of "spreading false news" under a law Saied enacted in 2022.

"Tunisia is going through a dark period on every front - we have political prisoners, imprisoned journalists, and even environmentalists in Gabes," said Souab's son Saeb, spokesman for the organising committee.

"My father was convicted in the space of six or seven minutes," he said. "That should be in the Guinness Book of World Records."

Tunisian and international rights groups have decried the erosion of rights and freedoms since Saied's seized power in 2021 and started ruling by decree.

Citizens have also complained of their reduced purchasing power because of inflation, with food products particularly affected.

"With poverty and inflation the country has hit rock bottom," said shoemaker Hichem Lahmer, 45.

Saied denies having become a dictator or using the judiciary against opponents, saying he is cleansing Tunisia of “traitors”. (AFP/Reuters)