The opponents to the HAT in for a foregone condemnation, the HAT justice being pointed at.

Temporary detention of political opponents to the HAT is not to an end since their trial has once again been postponed, this time around to February 8th, 2011. The trial basically ought to have taken place on November 28th, 2010, was once postponed to January 25th, 2011. The main defendants did even not have to join the court since not even files have been read by judges. After first handed allegations of a plot, the defense revealed that the so named files were still in the appeal court.

Mrs Razafimanantsoa is making the system´s obvious malfunction as responsible for her clients´ fate: “had detainees not been displaced from hideaway to hideaway, the process would have taken place in time”. The Ravalomanana sphere´s lawyer recalled later on that all four demands for temporary release refused by the court were presented due to the extension of the detention.

Fetison Andrianirina, former parliamentarian Zafilahy Stanislas and parson Edouard Tsaharame, detained in Ambatolampy, have even not been taken to the court on the day of their trial. The other 17 defendants detained in Antanimora have shortly appeared in Anosy however. It was more than enough to incense the committee supporting the three spheres´ leaders suspecting a planed postponement.

“Justice is not independent, it is being manipulated by politics” declared Lalatiana Ravololomanana, the leader of the support committee who subsequently announced that the struggle would continue. Following a conference on human and accused´s rights violations, the committee is intending to address foreign embassies in Madagascar.

Fetison Andrianirina has been targeted by the ruling power since 2009, his arrest was a question of time. The authorities found their motive in the run of troubles caused during a political gathering held by the three opposition´s spheres in Antanimena. Demonstrators and their leaders were driven out by the police forces by then, a couple of cars have been set alight.

On the political scene, Mamy Rakotoarivelo has ever since been taking the Ravalomanana sphere´s leadership over. He condemned the misuse of justice following the postponement of Fetison Andrianirina´s trial. The ruling power is straining to settle this issue by playing the clock. Any condemnation would certainly serve its interests. A potential political deal could be the solution.