​When Peaceful Agency Becomes a Threat

The detention of youth activist Rakotoarijaona Vonimahery, known as Mahery, and former presidential candidate Sylvain Rabetsaroana raises an important question about power in Madagascar: who is allowed to participate in public life, and on what terms?

According to Amnesty International, both men are being targeted for peacefully exercising their rights. The organisation is calling for their release, arguing that detention should not be used to punish political expression, activism, or criticism of those in authority.

This is a clear example of control overriding agency.

Agency is the ability to speak, organise, question decisions, stand for public office, and take part in shaping the future of one’s country. These are not privileges granted by government; they are fundamental rights of citizenship.

Control operates differently. It narrows the space in which people can act. It treats criticism as disloyalty, activism as disruption, and political competition as a threat. When peaceful actors are detained, the message reaches far beyond the individuals concerned: participation itself may carry a personal cost.

That creates a chilling effect. Citizens may censor themselves, avoid public meetings, withdraw from political activity, or remain silent about abuses. In this way, control does not need to silence everyone directly. It only needs to make enough people afraid to speak.

Madagascar’s political transition makes this especially important. A transition should expand civic participation and rebuild public trust. Instead, restrictions on activists and political figures risk reinforcing the belief that power is exercised through intimidation rather than accountability.

A stable democracy does not fear peaceful disagreement. It depends upon it.

The release of Mahery and Sylvain Rabetsaroana would therefore be more than a humanitarian gesture. It would demonstrate that Madagascar’s transition recognises the agency of its citizens—and that peaceful political participation remains a right, not a threat.