Event Summary
On 25 September 2025, a peaceful demonstration organized by municipal councillors in Antananarivo to denounce water and electricity cuts was violently repressed by the security forces. Joined by nearly a thousand citizens, including many young people from the Generation Z Madagascar movement, very active on social media, the demonstrators had planned to gather at Democracy Square in Ambohijatovo (a historic site in the capital and also the designated place for the protest).
The security forces, however, blocked their advance and resorted to what were deemed disproportionate measures. Tear gas, rubber bullets, and even automatic rifle fire (AK-47 type) were reported. According to several media outlets, including France 24, RFI, and TV5 Monde, the violence also targeted journalists present at the scene, some of whom were assaulted while covering the protest.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued an alarming initial report: 22 dead and more than a hundred injured on the very first day. On 30 September, the UN office in Madagascar reminded in a statement of the importance of guaranteeing fundamental freedoms and the right to peaceful assembly. The Madagascar Bar Association also condemned the violence in a public declaration.
This crackdown comes in a context of strong social unrest. Persistent shortages of water and electricity have fuelled the anger of an exasperated population. In response to the crisis, the Malagasy president dismissed his government — a decision that underlines the scale of the current political and social tensions.