Madagascar: trial of the man who gave a thumbs down to the presidential motorcade
The trial of the teacher who turned his thumb down as the presidential motorcade passed took place on Thursday, July 28.
The court's decision is expected on August 9.
© RFI/Laetitia Bezain
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The trial of the professor who turned his thumb down during the passage of the presidential motorcade was held this Thursday, July 28 in the afternoon at the court of Anosy, in Antananarivo.
The 32-year-old man was arrested Thursday, July 21 at the wheel of his car by the presidential guard in the suburbs of the capital.
The latter had been investigated by the gendarmerie and placed the next day in pre-trial detention, before being released under judicial supervision on Monday.
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With our correspondent in Antananarivo,
Laetitia Bezain
The charge retained is "insult by gesture to a head of institution in the person of the President of the Republic in the exercise of his function".
“
Do you agree or not?
asks
the president of the defendant after reading the said charge.
At the bar of the very dilapidated and dark courtroom number 6, the teacher, dressed in black, answers in the negative.
His relatives seated on the front row benches came in large numbers to support him.
This gesture of the hand, he explains, he did it after having waited a long time on the side of the road, the passage of the procession being long overdue.
“
I apologize to the President of the Republic Andry Nirina Rajoelina
,
”
he declared twice before the Court.
But this thumbs down was not intended for the Malagasy head of state, he insists.
It was also during the passage of the head of the procession that he made this gesture, he specifies.
A gesture that could have diverted attention from the head of the procession and caused an accident, retorts the president.
The public prosecutor requested an “
exemplary sanction.
»
“
He did not obstruct the procession and the reversed thumb is not an outrage, but expresses displeasure.
(…) It is not a crime, but a freedom of expression, ”
maintains Maître Eva Andrianoromampianina, lawyer for the professor, who reiterates that this gesture was not addressed to the President of the Republic.
“
If there must be an exemplary sanction, we ask that it be less
”
,
continues Maître Andrianoromampianina.
►
To read also: Madagascar: a man arrested for a gesture deemed outrageous as the presidential motorcade passes
According to article 224 of the Malagasy Penal Code, quoted by the president during the hearing, the penalty incurred for contempt is "
imprisonment of one month to six months and a fine of 100,000 to 900,000 ariary
[i.e. from 25 to 220 euros, Editor's note],
or one of these two penalties only.
»
In a statement issued Thursday ahead of the trial and titled “
Respect our rights, accept dissenting voices.
Freedom of expression/opinion: a right that guarantees our survival
", the civil society platform ROHY, which brings together organizations throughout the island, reminded us that "
everyone has the right to express their disagreement with the government in place without this entailing any sanction and that the State must be, in an immutable manner, the guarantor of this right to freedom of expression/opinion for each citizen.
»
“
We urge the supposedly independent judiciary to ensure that the trial of this citizen is indeed impartial and fair
,
”
continue the civil society organizations in this press release.
The court's decision is expected on August 9.
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