A wave of death threats targeting the TV5 world journalist in Madagascar: a symbol worrying for freedom of expression in 2025
In 2025, Madagascar was at a critical turning point in protecting press freedom. Franco-Malgache journalist Gaëlle Borgia, world TV5 correspondent, was at the center of a death threat storm broadcast on social networks. These intimidation, coming from individuals claiming to be linked to the authorities, illustrate the growing tension between freedom of informing and oppressive political influences. Faced with this suffocating atmosphere, several international organizations such as reporters Without Borders (RSF), Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch expressed their deep concern. Indeed, these attacks on a professional in the field, known for its sensitive revelations, only increase the alarming context of information control in the region. The situation highlights the major challenge faced by the independent press in Madagascar, where the manipulation of public opinion, censorship and intimidation take up service, directly threatening freedom of expression essential to democracy. The international community, in particular the United Nations (UN), now calls for collective mobilization to preserve the fundamental rights of journalists, in particular in such tense environments. The crucial question remains: how to guarantee media security and reporters working in volatile political contexts in 2025 in the future?
The context of threats against journalist Gaëlle Borgia: revelations and manipulations in the background
The case of Gaëlle Borgia, which covers news in Madagascar for several international media, alone illustrates the complexity and dangerousness of freedom of expression in certain regimes in 2025. Over the months, her commitment focused on the reporting of poisoning, corruption and political manipulation, especially during the Ambohimalaza poisoning affair. These revelations, often embarrassing for the Malagasy regime, caused a voracious and targeted reaction: denigration campaigns, attempted discredit and threats of all kinds. According to several sources, official officials, or alleged such, have attacked his person, denouncing an attempt to silence a dissident voice. The denunciation of these intimidation programs was relayed by reporters without borders in their 2025 report, highlighting the precarious atmosphere that weighs on journalists in the country. The situation is getting worse if it is considered that a delegation of the International Federation of Journalists stressed the absence of real legal protection for these actors of the truth. The British Broadcasting Corporation and France 24, in addition to TV5 Monde, are also affected by these series attacks, revealing a systemic problem in Madagascar. The mobilization of international civil society then becomes an imperative necessity to enforce the right to information and ensure the security of journalists. Should we continue to tolerate these obstacles to press freedom, or does it become urgent for the global community to strengthen its actions?
Those responsible and their role in the degradation of press freedom in Madagascar in 2025
By analyzing the main origins of threats against Gaëlle Borgia, it appears clearly that some official or semi-official actors play a central role in the climate of insecurity. An emblematic case is that of an individual pretending to be a head of service at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Philippe Rajaonarivelo, who would have made comments denounced as threatening, even evoking the possibility of “poisoning” or “accident”. However, the ministry quickly denied any official involvement, stressing that this individual has not occupied a function since 2004. Public clarification has polarized attention: this type of discourse, even denied, testifies to an environment where speech becomes a weapon and where individual responsibility tends to dilute in an atmosphere of generalized mistrust. The collective responsibility for the protection of journalists is not only of the Malagasy authorities, but also to the international community. The role of the local press, often vulnerable, is also crucial. The cowardice or the carelessness of certain leaders accused by international associations, such as reporters without borders or Amnesty International, make Madagascar an example of degradation of democratic standards. The question is whether increased diplomatic pressures could reverse this dramatic trend or if the situation requires a profound revision of political governance. The fight for press freedom in 2025 remains a fundamental issue of respect for universal rights.
The lasting consequences of threats to freedom of expression and Malagasy society in 2025
Death threats and other forms of intimidation do not only infringe the individual security of journalists like Gaëlle Borgia, but also generate a deep erosion of Malagasy society in its ability to express themselves freely. Fear sets up, avoiding any critical public debate or any evocative report, which hinders transparency in governance and promotes a climate of impunity. The situation also impacts youth and information professionals, who are in a position of great vulnerability: some abandon their profession or opt for clandestinity, which harms the plurality of votes. The international community, including the World Press Organization, alerted to these drifts, emphasizing the fact that freedom of expression is essential for a healthy democracy. Furthermore, this situation feeds a moral and ethical crisis, where the manipulation of information by the regime or unidentified actors continues to blur the truth. The reduction of critical gaze by the Malagasy public, encouraged by fear and repression, worsens the phenomenon. The question remains: to what extent will these threats compromise in the long term the political and social stability of the country?
The role of international organizations and NGOs in the defense of journalists and press freedom in Madagascar
Organizations such as Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF), Amnesty International, the UN Human Rights Council and the International Federation of Journalists play a crucial role in the safeguarding of freedom of expression in Madagascar. Their action goes far beyond the denunciation of violence: they work to strengthen the legal framework, to promote education initiatives for the independence of the media and to mobilize the international community to put pressure on the Malagasy government. Field missions, awareness campaigns and documented reports are regularly posted, aimed at attracting the attention of decision -makers and supporting journalists in their daily lives. Support for local defenders, especially those threatened or imprisoned, constitutes an absolute priority. However, there are many challenges on the ground; Indirect and direct pressures, even collusion with certain political actors, complicate the task of these NGOs. For their part, international media like France 24 or TV5 world are positioning themselves as looks of freedom of expression, relaying these issues on a global scale. The question remains: how to make these efforts more effective in the face of persistent authoritarian regimes?
Impacts of international support and denunciation campaigns on Madagascar in 2025
The campaigns carried out by reporters without borders and other NGOs have drawn attention to the dramatic situation of the Malagasy press. Social networks, in particular Twitter and Facebook, constitute powerful tools to mobilize a global community around the protection of journalists. In 2025, these campaigns made it possible to publicly denounce:
- 📢 Violence and intimidation exercised by certain political leaders
- 🛡️ The weakness of legal protections for journalists
- 🌍 The tacit complicity of certain local actors
- 🔥 The need for international coordinated action
These actions have also favored increased awareness within the diplomatic community, encouraging several countries to impose targeted sanctions or to strengthen their support for Malagasy civil society. The multiplier effect of these campaigns therefore made it possible to highlight the urgency of concrete interventions to preserve press freedom in this region. However, some analysts point out that these initiatives remain limited to the resilience of certain schemes to oppression. The question that can then be asked: what diplomatic and legal levers could accelerate the protection of journalists in Madagascar?
What scenarios for the future of press freedom in Madagascar following these threats in 2025?
The issues for press freedom in Madagascar remain crucial in a geopolitical context where the pressure of the authorities is intensifying. Several scenarios are envisaged:
- Strengthening legal protections : a reform of the legal framework to ensure better security for journalists, with the creation of a special status dedicated to the protection of the press.
- Increased mobilization of the international community : diplomatic pressures and sanctions to force the government to respect fundamental rights and guarantee media security.
- Saturation of media space : multiplication of independent online platforms, making censorship more difficult and offering more alternative voices.
- Risk of radicalization : If the environment remains hostile, the press could sink into hiding or massive exile, limiting transparency and fueling a vicious circle of repression.
Faced with these prospects, the solidification of dialogue between local and international actors appears to be a determining factor to influence the situation. The global community must continue to be vigilant, because the survival of a space of free expression depends as much on the political will as on citizen mobilization. The essential question remains: how to build a future where press freedom can develop in a secure and democratic environment?
