Threats against human rights defender Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa
On 30 January, human rights defender Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa was arrested, without a warrant, by four armed police officers and taken to the central police station of Sabotsy Namehana for alleged investigations following the organisation of a meeting planned on the same day. He was released two hours later but has since been receiving persistent threats by unknown individuals.
Ralibera Andri
amaholy Jerisoa is a human rights defender and President of the Paramedical Union of Nurses and Midwives of Madagascar. The union created in 2011, has been fighting for better working conditions and to promote the rights of the paramedics. Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa has been at the head of the union since 2018.
On 30 January, human rights defender Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa was arrested, without a warrant, by four armed police officers and taken to the central police station of Sabotsy Namehana for alleged investigations following the organisation of a meeting planned on the same day. He was released two hours later but has since been receiving persistent threats by unknown individuals.
Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa is a human rights defender and President of the Paramedical Union of Nurses and Midwives of Madagascar. The union created in 2011, has been fighting for better working conditions and to promote the rights of the paramedics. Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa has been at the head of the union since 2018.
The human rights defender believes he is targeted because of his work denouncing non-compliance with the bill 69-015 of March 20, 2020, relating to the requirements of medical staff during the period from 20 March to 3 November 2020 by the State in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The State had promised to give to each member of the medical staff a compensation which has still not been paid.
Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa has been leading the claims for the rights of the medical staff. Following an unsuccessful negotiation meeting with the Minister of Health on 29 January. The human rights defender decided to hold a meeting on 30 January to present a report on the exchanges between the union and the Minister of Health. On the same day, Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa was arrested, without a warrant, by four armed police officers and taken to the central police station of Sabotsy Namehana for questioning and he was released two hours later. The human rights defender has been informed by his colleagues from the Paramedical Union of Nurses and Midwives of Madagascar that Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa is under constant surveillance and there have been alleged threats by unknown individuals against the human rights defender.
Front Line Defenders is seriously concerned about the threats against human rights defender Ralibera Andriamaholy Jerisoa as it strongly believes that they are directly linked to his peaceful and legitimate work in defence of human rights.
