On 21 April, activist Rakotoarijaona Vonimahery (known as ‘Mahery’) was arbitrarily arrested without a warrant in the capital city Antananarivo at his place of work by gendarmes. He was taken into custody at the Criminal Brigade, where he was held for approximately one week without access to legal counsel and charged with “criminal conspiracy”. If convicted, he faces up to five years imprisonment solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression and association by engaging in conversations with a former political figure via WhatsApp regarding the status of the current political transition in Madagascar and the broken promises of reform. Amnesty International calls on the Malagasy authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Mahery and all other activists detained solely for exercising their human rights.
