Madagascar ex-Senate chief sentenced to hard labour over deadly Gen Z protest crackdown

ByWycliffe Muia and Omega Rakotomalala, BBC Monitoring.

Key points

• Prosecutors accused him of giving instructions to security forces to employ violence against demonstrators during the so-called Gen Z protests in September and October 2025.
• At least 22 individuals were killed and more than 100 injured during the unrest, according to UN figures cited by local media.
• He "directed violent actions to suppress the demonstrations", a state prosecutor remarked in December 2025.
• The protests eventually triggered a political crisis that led to Rajoelina's removal from power and the installation of a new administration led by Col Michael Randrianirina.
• Behind the Gen Z protesters who want to force Madagascar's president from power.

Madagascar's former Senate president has been sentenced to 10 years of hard labour over his alleged role in the violent crackdown on youth-led protests that supported bring down the previous administration last year.

Richard Ravalomanana, a retired general and close ally of former President Andry Rajoelina, was discovered guilty of complicity in murder by a court in the capital, Antananarivo, on Tuesday.

Ravalomanana denied the allegations and remarked he would appeal against the judgement. From prison to presidential palace: Who is Madagascar's new military ruler?

For context, the protests began a year ago, initially sparked by anger over persistent power and water shortages, before developing into a broader movement against Rajoelina's administration.

For context, the protests eventually triggered a political crisis that led to Rajoelina's removal from power and the installation of a new administration led by Col Michael Randrianirina.

In practice, the crackdown was led by the gendarmerie, where Ravalomanana retained considerable influence at the time.

Ravalomanana was removed as Senate president in October, shortly after the protests, and was arrested at his home in December after failing to respond to a summons from the gendarmerie.

He was afterwards placed in pre-trial detention at the high-security Imerintsiatosika prison outside Antananarivo, where he has spent the past seven months.

He is among a number of senior figures associated with Rajoelina's former administration who have faced legal proceedings since the change of power. Ravalomanana is additionally facing a separate corruption investigation.

Notably, a former national police chief who testified at the trial backed his account, saying Ravalomanana was not part of the operational chain of command and had issued no orders to police, gendarmes or soldiers deployed during the unrest. His lawyer questioned the evidence linking him directly to the violence.

"Is there confirmed written or verbal evidence. To accuse him?" he asked the court, arguing that prosecutors had failed to produce proof that security officers had received orders from his client.

Ravalomanana's defence team remarked it would challenge the verdict in a higher court.

In practice, the court dropped a separate allegation of making a death threat after ruling that the case was too old to prosecute.

Known for wearing a cowboy hat and displaying his military medals, Ravalomanana was viewed by protesters as a symbol of authoritarian power. More BBC stories on Madagascar.

Behind the Gen Z protesters who want to force Madagascar's president from power. Madagascar's Gen Z protesters angry at coup leader's choice of PM. Madagascar military leader sacks cabinet in surprise move.

Coups, elections and protests – a tough year for democracy in Africa.

Go to BBCAfrica.com, external for more news from the African continent.

In short, madagascar ex-Senate chief sentenced to hard labour over deadly Gen Z protest is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.