Probe killings – Amnesty
2010-02-04 14:29
Nairobi - Amnesty International on Thursday urged Madagascar authorities to launch a probe into "the dozens of killings carried out by the security forces" during anti-government demonstrations.
The rights group said the authorities must investigate the killings urgently and that "those presumed responsible should be brought to justice".
The bloodiest incident, Amnesty said in a statement, was when the guards of then president Marc Ravalomanana fired live ammunition at unarmed opposition demonstrators heading for the presidential palace on February 7, 2009.
That incident left 31 people dead and several others wounded. "The Madagascar authorities must immediately investigate all cases where they suspect the security forces are guilty of illegal killings and where the use of firearms caused deaths or serious injuries," said Erwin van der Borght, Amnesty's Africa director.
Illegally detained
Human rights abuses have been reported throughout the year of troubles that shook Madagascar from December 2008 after Ravalomanana closed a television station belonging to Andry Rajoelina, then mayor of Antananarivo, Amnesty said.
The watchdog organisation noted that abuses continued after Rajoelina seized power in a military-backed coup in March 2009, including the use of firearms to disperse protests.
Rajoelina set up a High Transitional Authority (HAT) to run Madagascar, but this is not recognised by the African Union or the Southern African Development Community, which are trying to mediate a settlement.
Lawmakers, lawyers and opposition leaders have been arrested and illegally detained, notably since Rajoelina's power grab. Journalists have also been targeted by the authorities, under both Ravalomanana and Rajoelina, Amnesty said.