Committee to Protect Journalists - Madagascar

CPJ, African groups call for press freedom commitment

2010-07-08T15:20:47Z

Your Excellencies: As you gather in Paris for festivities that celebrate your nations’ 50 years of independence, we, the undersigned African press freedom advocates petition for your public commitment to a free, vibrant, and self-sustaining press as a cornerstone of the development of francophone Africa in the next five decades.

Soldiers raid Madagascar radio station, assault staff

2010-05-18T21:41:50Z

New York, May 18, 2010—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the government of Madagascar to investigate a Saturday raid on the opposition radio station Fréquence Plus that resulted in the arrest of an opposition leader while he was on a live radio program, local journalists told CPJ. The soldiers injured three journalists and destroyed the station’s equipment in 67 Hectares, a district in the capital, Antananarivo, before arresting opposition leader Ambroise Ravonison and another on-air guest, Harrison Razafindrakoto, the journalists said.

Attacks on the Press 2009: Madagascar

2010-02-16T05:28:00Z

Top Developments
• Rival leaders use media empires to pursue political goals.
• Partisan attacks target journalists, news outlets.

Key Statistic
1: Journalist killed in 2009, the first Malagasy media fatality ever recorded by CPJ.

Malagasy journalists faced censorship, threats, and arrest as former president Marc Ravalomanana and new head of state Andry Rajoelina used their partisan media empires in a struggle for control of this Indian Ocean island nation. One journalist was killed in the midst of violent unrest.

Madagascar media outlets raided during political crisis

2009-03-10T20:17:17Z

New York, March 10, 2009--The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Saturday's ransacking of a TV and radio broadcaster by security forces in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar. The raid was part of ongoing government efforts to censor independent media coverage of political unrest, stemming from a bitter power struggle between opposition leader Andry Rajoelina and President Marc Ravalomanana.

CPJ seeks probe in killing of reporter in Madagascar protest

2009-02-09T20:58:18Z

New York, February 9, 2009--Authorities in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar must bring to justice members of the presidential guard responsible for the killing on Saturday of a journalist covering an antigovernment demonstration in the capital, Antananarivo, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Anti-government protests burn two TV stations

2009-01-26T22:07:56Z

New York, January 26, 2008--Angry opposition supporters burned down two pro-government television stations in the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar today, a few hours after authorities destroyed the antenna of an opposition radio station, according to news reports and local journalists.

Attacks on the Press 2007: Africa Snapshots

2008-02-05T16:59:20Z

Attacks & developments throughout the region

CPJ Demands Action in Madagascar Press Freedom Cases

2005-05-27T16:00:00Z

Your Excellency:

The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that Olivier Péguy, a correspondent for Radio France Internationale (RFI) and several other international news organizations, was forced to leave the country on Sunday after the government refused to renew his work permit. Péguy, who had been reporting from Madagascar for four years, told CPJ that no explanation has been given for the non-renewal.

CPJ urges Your Excellency to make public the reasons for not renewing Péguy's work permit. If the permit was withheld because of Péguy's critical reporting, we urge your government to reconsider and issue a renewal immediately.

MADAGASCAR

2005-05-22T16:00:00Z

MAY 22, 2005
Posted: May 31, 2005

Olivier Péguy, Radio France Internationale

LEGAL ACTION

Péguy, a correspondent for Radio France Internationale (RFI) and several other international news organizations, was forced to leave the country on May 22 after the government refused to renew his work permit. Péguy, who had reported from Madagascar for four years, told CPJ that no explanation has been given for the non-renewal.

MADAGASCAR

2005-04-19T16:00:00Z

APRIL 19
Posted: May 31, 2005

Rolland Rasoamaharo, La Gazette de la Grande IleJames Ramarosaona, La Gazette de la Grande Ile

LEGAL ACTION

Rasoamaharo, publication director of the private, daily La Gazette de la Grande Ile, and editor Ramarosaona, were each sentenced on April 19 to one month in jail for criminal defamation in connection with an article published in January 2004. The article alleged that employees of a state-owned real estate agency, SEIMAD, had embezzled money.

MADAGASCAR

2005-03-01T17:00:00Z

MARCH 1, 2005
Posted: April 14, 2005

Lola Rasoamaharo, La Gazette de la Grande IleRolly Mercia, La Gazette de la Grande Ile
LEGAL ACTION

Rasoamaharo, publication director of the private daily La Gazette de la Grande Ile, was sentenced to prison in connection with three separate defamation charges. He was not taken into custody, pending a decision in his appeal.

Attacks on the Press 2002: Africa Analysis

2003-03-31T17:10:53Z

Although the Kenya-based East African Standard, one of Africa's oldest continuously published newspapers, marked its 100th anniversary in November, journalism remains a difficult profession on the continent, with adverse government policies and multifaceted economic woes still undermining the full development of African media.

Attacks on the Press 2002: Ivory Coast

2003-03-31T17:05:40Z

Hopes were high in July that Ivory Coast's political crisis would end after a judge in the capital, Abidjan, confirmed that former prime minister Alassane Dramane Ouattara, the leader of the opposition Rally for Republicans (RDR), is an Ivory Coast citizen.

Attacks on the Press 2002: Madagascar

2003-03-31T17:04:50Z

On January 25, the High Constitutional Court of Madagascar ruled that a runoff vote "within 30 days" would resolve the disputed December 2001 presidential election between longtime leader Didier Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana, mayor of the capital, Antananarivo. Despite the ruling, however, both men declared themselves president and introduced their Cabinets to an impoverished populace, which they encouraged to take to the streets in support of their respective governments.

Four radio stations attacked as post-election crisis deepens

2002-02-28T17:00:00Z

New York, February 28, 2002—Four radio stations were attacked and destroyed on February 23 as violence erupted over disputed presidential election results.

Supporters of President Didier Ratsiraka allegedly attacked the offices of the Madagascar Broadcasting Service's (MBS) radio station in Fianarantsoa, some 90 miles south of the capital, Antananarivo. The station's facilities were set ablaze, seriously injuring three security guards.