Published on 4/19/2026
Amnesty International has condemned the escalating crackdown by the military authorities in Madagascar against Generation Z activists and members of civil society. She called for an end to arbitrary arrests and the protection of the right to peaceful protest.
Tigre Chagota, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said authorities in Madagascar are using broadly worded charges such as criminal conspiracy, threatening national security and destabilizing the state, to silence Generation Z activists and civil society voices.
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She stressed that “no one should face arbitrary arrest, detention, or enforced disappearance simply for expressing his opinion about the administration of his country.”
The organization considered that these authoritarian practices constitute a flagrant violation of basic rights, most notably freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, and aim to “consolidate a climate of fear and evade accountability for government policies, appointments, and management of public resources.”
Amnesty International called on the authorities in Madagascar to “immediately stop arbitrary arrests, reveal the fate and whereabouts of all those forcibly disappeared, and unconditionally release all those detained for peacefully exercising their rights.” It also called for respecting, protecting and facilitating the right to demonstrate.
Coup and repression
The roots of the current crisis go back to last October, when the army seized power in Madagascar against the backdrop of widespread youth protests led by “Generation Z” activists, who demanded improving basic services, especially the provision of drinking water and electricity, along with more comprehensive and effective governance.
While the new military authorities promised a series of reforms, human rights organizations say that what happened on the ground was exactly the opposite, as repression deepened under the cover of a “tough anti-corruption campaign,” and the use of widespread public accusations of conspiracy and threatening national security to open files against young activists, members of civil society organizations, and people seen as close to the former regime.
Amnesty International warns that using the judiciary and security services in this way turns the country’s laws into a tool to silence people instead of a means of protecting rights and freedoms. It also contributes to the legitimization of forced disappearances and arbitrary arrests, and sends a message of intimidation to anyone who tries to criticize the management of public affairs or demand reforms in a country that already suffers from severe economic and social fragility.
The right to protest
The organization stresses that the right to peaceful assembly is a fundamental pillar of any true democratic transition, and stresses that the security handling of protests will be a serious test of the extent of the Madagascar authorities’ commitment to their declared pledges of reform.
Amnesty International calls on the international community, especially the African Union and regional partners, to put real pressure on the military authorities in Madagascar to stop their violations, respect their obligations under African and international human rights conventions, and ensure that the slogans of “fighting corruption” and “protecting national security” are not used as a cover to settle political scores and silence a new generation of those demanding freedom and social justice.
