Madagascar’s former Senate president, Richard Ravalomanana, has been handed a 10-year hard labour sentence for his alleged involvement in a deadly security operation against youth protesters last year.
A court in the capital, Antananarivo, convicted the retired general on Tuesday of complicity in murder.
Prosecutors alleged that he directed security personnel to employ force against demonstrators during the Gen Z protests in September and October 2025.
Ravalomanana, a prominent ally of former President Andry Rajoelina, rejected the accusations and said he would contest the ruling.
The demonstrations initially erupted over prolonged shortages of electricity and water but later expanded into widespread opposition to Mr Rajoelina’s administration.
The unrest left at least 22 people dead and more than 100 others injured, according to United Nations figures reported by local media.
The protests contributed to a political upheaval that resulted in Mr Rajoelina being removed from office and Col Michael Randrianirina taking charge of the country.
Much of the security response was carried out by the gendarmerie, an institution where Mr Ravalomanana was considered influential.
A state prosecutor said in December that the former Senate leader had directed violent measures aimed at suppressing the demonstrations.
Mr Ravalomanana lost his Senate position in October, shortly after the unrest, and was arrested at his residence in December after failing to honour a summons from the gendarmerie.
He subsequently spent seven months in pre-trial custody at the high-security Imerintsiatosika prison outside Antananarivo.
Several senior officials linked to Mr Rajoelina’s former administration have faced investigations and court proceedings since the change of government.
Mr Ravalomanana is also the subject of a separate corruption case.
However, a former national police commander who appeared as a witness supported the defence, saying Mr Ravalomanana had no role in the operational command structure and had not instructed police, gendarmes or troops involved in the unrest.
His lawyer also challenged the prosecution’s case, saying there was insufficient evidence establishing a direct connection between his client and the violence.
The defence questioned whether prosecutors had produced any verified written or verbal instructions showing that security personnel had acted on Mr Ravalomanana’s orders.
His legal team said it would appeal the conviction before a higher court.
The court also dismissed a separate charge involving an alleged death threat, ruling that the offence was too old to be pursued.
Mr Ravalomanana, who was often seen wearing a cowboy hat and his military decorations, had become a prominent symbol of the authoritarian establishment in the eyes of demonstrators.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong