1 killed after police fire tear gas at protesters
ANTANANARIVO: One person was killed yesterday when Madagascar police fired teargas at opposition demonstrators protesting against new electoral laws they say are designed to lock out their candidate from a presidential election due this year.
Olivat Rakoto, director of the Joseph Ravoahangy Andrianavalona hospital in the city, said they had received 17 people with injuries from midday to 3pm.
“One person came but we could do nothing for him when he arrived,” she said, referring to the dead person, one of the 17.
Rakoto did not comment on the nature of the injuries, but some witnesses said some were caused by landing gas canisters.
Supporters of Marc Ravalomanana, a former leader of the Indian Ocean island nation, say the new electoral laws are designed to prevent him running in the election. The opposition is also contending provisions on campaign financing and access to media in the laws.
Ravalomanana, who was deposed in a 2009 coup, has teamed up with the man who succeeded him, Andy Rajoelina, to oppose the laws pushed by President Hery Rajaonarimampianina.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in the centre of the capital here yesterday to protest against the laws, which were enacted by parliament earlier this month, before police fired dozens of teargas canisters at them.