Madagascar ex-Senate chief Richard Ravalomanana sentenced to 10 years hard labour

September 2, 2026 at 04:34 PM2 min

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Madagascar's former Senate president Richard Ravalomanana was sentenced to 10 years of hard labour on Tuesday for complicity in murder during the 2025 Gen Z protest crackdown. The court in Antananarivo found he directed violent suppression of demonstrations that killed at least 22 people. Ravalomanana denied the charges and said he would appeal.

Key Facts

Richard Ravalomanana was sentenced to 10 years of hard labour by a court in Antananarivo on Tuesday.
At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured during the September–October 2025 protests, according to UN figures cited by local media.
Ravalomanana was removed as Senate president in October 2025 and arrested at his home in December after failing to respond to a gendarmerie summons.
The protests led to the removal of President Andry Rajoelina and the installation of a new administration led by Col Michael Randrianirina.

Verdict and Sentence

A court in Antananarivo found Richard Ravalomanana guilty of complicity in murder on Tuesday. He was sentenced to 10 years of hard labour for his role in the violent crackdown on youth-led protests. Prosecutors said he gave instructions to security forces to use violence against demonstrators during the Gen Z protests in September and October 2025. Ravalomanana denied the allegations and said he would appeal against the judgement.

Protest Crackdown and Political Fallout

The protests began a year ago over persistent power and water shortages before developing into a broader movement against President Andry Rajoelina's government. At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured during the unrest, according to UN figures cited by local media. The crackdown was led by the gendarmerie, where Ravalomanana retained considerable influence at the time. The protests triggered a political crisis that led to Rajoelina's removal and the installation of a new administration led by Col Michael Randrianirina.

Arrest and Defence

Ravalomanana was removed as Senate president in October 2025, shortly after the protests. He was arrested at his home in December after failing to respond to a summons from the gendarmerie. He spent seven months in pre-trial detention at the high-security Imerintsiatosika prison outside Antananarivo. A former national police chief testified that Ravalomanana was not part of the operational chain of command and issued no orders to police, gendarmes or soldiers. His lawyer questioned the evidence linking him directly to the violence, arguing prosecutors failed to produce proof that security officers received orders from him.