Four Gen Z activists were arrested in Madagascar on April 12 following their participation in protests calling for the military government to set an election date, according to their legal representation.

The detained activists are Herizo Andriamanantena, Miora Rakotomalala, Dina Randrianarisoa and Nomena Ratsihorimanana. They were arrested two days after participating in demonstrations demanding that Madagascar's military regime establish a timeline for elections.

The arrests have heightened concerns among young people in Madagascar about the direction of the military government that assumed power last year. The current regime came to power following large-scale demonstrations led primarily by Generation Z activists who helped overthrow the previous government.

The detentions mark a shift in the relationship between the military government and the young activists who initially supported the change in leadership. Many of the same demographic groups that participated in last year's protests against the former government are now expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of democratic progress under military rule.

The arrests represent the latest tension between Madagascar's youth movement and the military authorities over the timeline for returning to civilian governance through elections. The young activists' demands for electoral scheduling reflect broader concerns about the military government's commitment to democratic transition.