In a move that highlights the ongoing political instability in Madagascar, a court in Antananarivo has sentenced former Senate president Richard Ravalomanana to 10 years of hard labor. Ravalomanana, a retired general and key ally of former President Andry Rajoelina, was found guilty of complicity in murder related to the 2025 Gen Z protests.
Prosecutors alleged that Ravalomanana directed the gendarmerie to use force against demonstrators who were protesting persistent utility shortages and the Rajoelina government.
The unrest, which resulted in 22 deaths and over 100 injuries according to UN figures, eventually led to the ousting of Rajoelina and the installation of a new administration under Col. Michael Randrianirina.
Ravalomanana has maintained his innocence, with his defense team and a former police chief testifying that he held no operational command over the security forces deployed during the riots.
The conviction follows a pattern of legal proceedings against former government officials since the change in power, with Ravalomanana also facing separate corruption allegations.
As he prepares to appeal the verdict, the case remains a flashpoint in the nation's volatile political climate, with critics viewing the prosecution as a targeted effort to dismantle the remnants of the previous administration.
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