Madagascar: Five Nosy Be lawyers receive death threats over land grabbing cases

Five lawyers practicing in Nosy Be, in northwestern Madagascar, have been the target of a wave of threats spread on social media for several weeks, RFI reported on October 10, 2026. Death threats, invasions of privacy, and xenophobic remarks: the campaign followed court rulings handed down in land disputes on the tourist island. The Madagascar Bar Association responded with a statement in which its president, Me Ferdinand Ranary Rakotoarisoa, asserts that social media "cannot constitute a lawless zone."

The Bar Association demands physical protection for its members

In its statement dated September 24, 2026, and relayed by Midi Madagasikara, the Bar Council describes a campaign combining online attacks, media disparagement, and highly violent remarks made during public meetings, with calls for violence that create a climate of fear and threaten the physical integrity of the targeted lawyers. The institution makes four demands: the firm condemnation of all intimidation, full support for the five lawyers, urgent action by the competent authorities to ensure their safety, and effective protection to allow for the serene exercise of defense rights. It recalls that challenging a lawyer's conduct is a matter for legal channels, not social media or public confrontation. The names of the five lawyers have not been made public.

Behind the threats, the battle for land

The case highlights a recurring dispute in Nosy Be, a destination highly prized by tourists, where conflicts over land ownership are multiplying. Distrust of the justice system and land administration is strong there: according to complaints collected by the Independent Anti-Corruption Bureau (Bianco), these two services were among the most corrupt in the country in 2025. For Mamy Rakotondrainibe, president of the Tany Collective, it is "the law of the strongest" that prevails, and small farmers as well as people lacking official land documents find themselves defenseless against land grabbing.

The Tany Collective is advocating for the creation of a specialized court, equipped with investigators and judges entirely dedicated to land disputes. No response from the Malagasy authorities had been made public as of October 10, 2026. The issue extends far beyond Nosy Be: in a large part of the continent, the securing of property titles remains the primary bulwark for rural families against dispossession, and the ability of lawyers to plead without fear is the prerequisite for this.