Bar Association Council condemns personal attacks against judicial officers

Yesterday The Bar Council of The Bar Association of Guyana in a release said it has observed and taken note of recent statements made, particularly on social media platforms, with regard to matters engaging or having engaged the attention of the Court, by parties related and unrelated to the said proceedings, directing personal attacks against judicial officers.

“The Bar Council of The Bar Association in the premises wishes to remind and urge members of the public to exercise responsibility in making public statements touching and concerning the administration of justice, including judicial officers and thereby refrain from personal attacks, the use of threatening language which threaten the personal safety of judicial officers or otherwise and or making scandalous, inflammatory and unsubstantiated allegations against judicial officers.”

The Council said in addition to the attacks being wholly disrespectful to the Court and having the result of undermining confidence in the administration of justice, it opens such members of the public to Contempt of Court proceedings under the Contempt of Court Act, Cap. 5:05, the punishment for which is imprisonment.

In issuing an unqualified condemnation of any and all such aforesaid statements and the Council reiterates its Statement made on July 24, 2020, that –

“While the Judiciary is not immune from public expressions of concern and criticism, such right is not unfettered and must be exercised within the ambit of the law and governing legal principles; the breach of which could result in legal proceedings being instituted against such perpetrator(s) and where applicable punishable by imprisonment.”