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Lola Rasoamaharo. Journalism is no longer a prison. So work…

Roland Hubert Rasoamaharo known to everyone by the nickname Lola, in his home in Ivandry

According to the news that started yesterday, Saturday, March 25, 2023 in the internet networks, especially Facebook, Roland Hubert Rasoamaharo, known to everyone as Lola, was sent to Antanimora prison. This was after an investigation was conducted at the Anosy Antananarivo Court.

Lola has been called a few times but since then she has been at the office ” Cybercriminality “ always. Yesterday, however, he immediately went to court (” immediate appearance “) and was admitted to an emergency prison (“placed under warrant of deposit”) pending his trial.


What is the reason? That is the question that is on most people’s lips. As a journalist for more than 40 years, I can say that the reason is not journalism at all, especially since the Law on “Code for Mediated Communication” updated. The Malagasy language is sometimes confusing, but this is its real name: “Law No. 2020-006 amending certain provisions of Law No. 2016-029 of August 24, 2016 on the Mediated Communication Code ». That is, Law 2022-006 changes some of the provisions of the Law 2016-029 called Andrianjato Street already “Liberty-killing Communication Code” even in his day… Professional journalists know exactly why…

The tyranny of Mr. Rivo Rakotovao and Vonison Andrianjato, the Minister of Communications in Hvm’s administration, has been completed so far. What is new now is that the Ministry of Culture and Communications is no longer in charge of journalism in Madagascar, but the Organization of Journalists known as OJM. There are still “journalists” who deliberately do not know this…

In the Article 20 revised in this Law 2020-006 after all, it is clear that there is no more jailing of journalists but the penalty is a fine if he is proven in the Tribunal that he has made mistakes in his work. This is what it is called “press offence”.

The content of article 32 of the previous Law says that before it “press offence” it is not the owner of the newspaper who is directly responsible but the ” Publication Director “or the “Editor-in-Chief”or the « auteur » that is, the author of the article referred to as “press offence”. The meaning is that Lola Rasoamaharo should not have been summoned as a journalist. Remember that in 2014, Jean-Luc Rahaga (” Publication Director “) and Mr. Didier Ramanoelina were imprisoned ” Minister of State “Rivo Rakotovao, not the owner of the newspaper « Madagascar Tribune » at all. But these conditions are still in place today

These conditions are still in place, but the imprisonment of journalists no longer exists when it is proven that “press offence” he did and the penalty will always be a fine

That’s why Lola was brought to the court by the police immediately, that’s what it’s called “direct appearance” the same is the case with the children of Itompokolahy Manandafy Rakotonirina, because it is a matter outside of journalism. This is the name “misdemeanor na offense under common law”. This in French explains it well: “A common law offense means an act prohibited by any legislative or regulatory text. This type of offense can therefore be considered a criminal offence. We can thus say that a person who has violated certain rules is in breach of common law”.

That is not the “Code of Mediated Communication” It is no longer the law that governs here ” Penal Code “ which governs three crimes: “Contraventions, misdemeanors and crimes”.

So I turn to everyone: let’s all wait for what will happen next instead of inventing unproven things because there are indeed the following laws below, regarding “common law offence”. No one can say: I didn’t know. Because there is none a person who should not deny the living Law and should be respected by everyone. Everyone has time to interpret these verses, which take effect immediately. And here I encourage Lola because it is not easy to say “dark house” literally, and I also encourage Niry Andriamampianina, Lola’s husband: this land of transition is full of trials, but we need to keep standing .


Jeannot Ramambazafy – March 26, 2023

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