Madagascar’s former Senate president Richard Ravalomanana was sentenced to 10 years of hard labour on Tuesday, September 1, by a court in Antananarivo. The court found the former senior ally of Andry Rajoelina responsible for his role in the crackdown on demonstrations in September and October 2025 that ultimately led to the president’s removal from power.
The sentence was handed down after a single day of hearings. Ravalomanana was convicted of complicity in murder and complicity in intentional assault and battery.
The court found that the retired general had played a role in the security forces’ response to the protests, which culminated in the fall of Andry Rajoelina on October 14, 2025.
Deadly crackdown on protests
The demonstrations lasted nearly three weeks and were met with tear gas, rubber bullets and other crowd-control measures. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk had also raised concerns over reports that some officers used live ammunition.
According to the United Nations, 22 people were killed and around 100 others injured during the uprising.
The crackdown was largely carried out by the gendarmerie, an institution in which Ravalomanana, a retired general, had previously held considerable influence.
In December 2025, the prosecutor general of the Antananarivo Court of Appeal accused him of having “led violent actions to suppress the demonstrations.” At the time, Ravalomanana had already been arrested and removed from his position as Senate president.
A controversial figure of the former regime
Ravalomanana was a prominent figure under Rajoelina and was often recognised by his trademark cowboy hat and military decorations.
His role in the crackdown made him deeply unpopular among protesters, who viewed him as a symbol of an authoritarian government accused of failing to respond to the hardships faced by ordinary Malagasy citizens.
His conviction was widely celebrated by members of Madagascar’s Gen Z movement on social media, with many posts mocking the former Senate president following the court ruling.
However, his lawyer, Lazatiana Razafimamonjy, announced that his client would appeal the conviction.
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