 In response, Ratsiraka said he would not participate in planned talks until Andrianarivo was released.Andrianarivo's trial began on December 22, 2003, and on December 24, he was convicted of embezzlement and usurping powers and was sentenced to 12 years of hard labor.He was also fined 42 billion Malagasy francs, about $7.6 million U.S. dollars