France, Sept. 4 -- Tunisia's Court of Cassation on Thursday upheld prison sentences of up to 45 years issued in November against 34 opposition leaders, lawyers and businessmen on charges of conspiracy, their lawyers told reporters.

Prominent opposition figures Ghazi Chaouachi, Issam Chebbi, Jawhar Ben Mbarek and Ridha Belhaj were sentenced to 20 years in prison, while politician Noureddine Bhiri received 10 years.

National Salvation Front leader Nejib Chebbi was sentenced to 12 years.

The opposition said the ruling, which is the final stage of the three-year legal proceedings and cannot be appealed, reinforces President Kais Saied's's authoritarian rule.

Lawyer and opposition figure Dalila Msaddek, Mbarek's sister, said in a Facebook ...