By RFIPalled on 04-09-2019Modified on 04-09-2019 at 01:27

A quarter of the Malagasy population is Catholic according to the figures of the Episcopal Conference of Madagascar. The messages he delivers will also be scrutinized, especially by human rights defenders who ask Pope Francis to address this sensitive issue of rights violations with the authorities.

" The Holy Father must mention the human rights crises that are hitting the country and remind his leaders that the whole world is watching them. This is what Amnesty International says, which lists, among other things, the massive use of pretrial detention for months or even years, the murder of suspected stealers or the extrajudicial executions committed by police officers.

" The pope's voice on these topics could be a powerful tool for bringing about change, " the organization continues. Two weeks ago, a video of a policeman killing a man in the head in the street with a bullet in his head suspected of wanting to commit a robbery made the front page of the media and social networks. The offending police officer was brought to justice and remanded in custody. A decision that is significant but should be generalized in this corporation where the burrs are rarely sanctioned, said the National Independent Commission on Human Rights Tuesday, September 3.

" The CNIDH calls on the government to intensify this kind of measure because most acts of banditry and organized crime are encouraged by the impunity enjoyed so far by the elements of the police. It is very important to restore the confidence of the population in the bodies charged, theoretically, with protection. The pope will be challenged from all sides but I believe that the defense of human rights is a priority of the mission of the pope in this type of papal visit, "argues Mireille Rabenoro, the president of the case.

Pope Francis will deliver his speech to the authorities, civil society and the diplomatic corps on Saturday at the Palace.

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