Chairwoman Hautala met a senator from the suspended Senate of Madagascar and the Ambassador of Madagascer to the EU on 11.11.2009 to discuss the human rights situation in the country after the military coup in March 2009. Grave concerns remain over the illegal detentions and torture by the security forces. Chairwoman Hautala has strongly called for immediate release of all political prisoners, international investigation into human rights violations and that the elections should only be organised once the constitutional order is reinstated.