Protests in Nadagascar

Protests in Madagascar Malagasy youth have been protesting regularly since last Thursday against water and power outages, which were suppressed by the police. The protests were initiated by the "Gen Z Madagascar" collective, founded to voice the concerns of Malagasy youth dissatisfied with the country's challenges. Before the protests, two opposition city councilors were arrested on September 20 while applying for a demonstration permit – a move many Malagasy people considered arbitrary. The issue of freedom of expression took center stage. Freedom of expression in Madagascar. Freedom of expression is currently severely restricted and, in practice, considered a luxury, even though it is guaranteed by Article 10 of the country's constitution. Critics accuse President Rajoelina's government of ruling the country in an authoritarian manner and of suppressing expression and protests with repression, arrests, and sometimes violent measures. For example, people are punished or even killed for denouncing social injustices or corruption. Journalists and human rights activists are frequently subjected to harassment and intimidation, and several media outlets have already been shut down by the government. Protest movements, especially those involving young people, experience state repression, and activists criticize the state's tendency to respond to criticism with violence rather than dialogue. Despite this situation, freedom of expression is formally enshrined in the constitution. Here's a comparison with Kenya. Despite constitutional safeguards, there have been reports of increasing restrictions on press freedom in recent years, including through political influence, economic pressure, and, in some cases, direct attacks or threats against journalists. Kenya ranks 116th out of 180 countries in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index, a significant deterioration compared to the previous year and indicating the growing challenges facing independent media. Despite a prefectural ban in Madagascar, demonstrations took place in the capital, Antananarivo, at the request of several youth groups. An RFI correspondent reported that loud explosions were heard near the city center until 2 a.m. Friday, and that a strong smell of smoke hung in the air. Authorities have imposed a 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew in Antananarivo, which will remain in effect "until public order is restored." Schools in the capital and surrounding districts remained closed Friday, and the closure was extended to the city of Antsirabé, where clashes had also broken out. What began as demonstrations against the supply shortages quickly escalated into one of the biggest challenges President Andry Rajoelina has faced in years. Hundreds of people attempted to reach the central Ambohijatovo Square despite a government ban on gatherings, but were blocked by heavy security forces. Protesters split into smaller groups to circumvent the barriers, carrying banners denouncing the power outages and accusing the government of failing to guarantee basic rights. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets while masked officers dispersed the crowd. Looting broke out in supermarkets, shops, and banks, prompting Prime Minister Christian Ntsay to impose a curfew in five major cities. In response to the unrest, President Andry Rajoelina announced the dissolution of the government on Monday evening. The president promised to appoint a new prime minister within the next three days and praised the basic rights of Generation Z. Nevertheless, Generation Z called for another demonstration this Tuesday. According to the UN, the protests have claimed at least 22 lives. Andry Rajoelina returned to power after controversial elections in 2023. He was re-elected with just under 59 percent of the vote, thus beginning his third term in office. The election was accompanied by a boycott call from the opposition, with ten of twelve opposition candidates urging their supporters not to vote, resulting in a record low voter turnout of approximately 46 percent. The opposition accused Rajoelina of seeking to stay in power through illegal means, including alleged bribery of the Constitutional Court and the Electoral Commission. However, the Electoral Commission confirmed the election results, while opposition forces rejected the legitimacy of the election. Before and after the election, there were also protests and criticism from international observers regarding the human rights situation in the country. Rajoelina announced a new government after the election, but it continues to face an opposition boycott. The situation continued to lead to political instability and social tensions in Madagascar. @https://m.vk.com/wall-228616118_6162 @https://www.rfi.fr/en/africa/20250926-deadly-protests-erupt-in-madagascar-over-chronic-blackouts-and-water-cuts @https://taz.de/Proteste-in-Madagaskar/!6112805/ @https://www.reporter-ohne-borne.de/madagaskar @https://www.spiegel.de/ausland/madagaskar-22-tote-bei-protesten-praesident-entlaesst-regierung-a-efab043b-8a73-47a0-9007-8cc40ef542b7 @https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar @https://madagasikara.fr/de/mord-threats-against-tv5-monde-correspondents-in-madagascar-a-disturbing-glimpse-into-freedom-of-expression/