Madagascar Ex-Senate President Gets 10 Years for Protest Violence

On Tuesday, a court in Antananarivo, Madagascar, sentenced Richard Ravalomanana, the former Senate president, to 10 years of hard labour for complicity in murder during the crackdown on youth-led demonstrations in September and October 2025. Ravalomanana, a retired general and ally of former President Andry Rajoelina, was found responsible for directing security forces to use lethal force against demonstrators, resulting in at least 22 deaths and over 100 injuries.

The protests, initially sparked by electricity and water shortages, escalated into a broader movement against Rajoelina's administration, leading to a political crisis and Rajoelina's removal, followed by the appointment of Col Michael Randrianirina to lead a new government. Ravalomanana was stripped of his Senate presidency in October 2025 and arrested in December after failing to respond to a gendarmerie summons.

His defense team argued that the prosecution lacked concrete evidence linking him to the violence. Ravalomanana plans to appeal the conviction.