In the wake of widespread arrests following public protests over the tragic death of 11-year-old Adrianna Younge, the opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) is calling for an immediate end to what it describes as the government’s “abuse” of Guyana’s anti-terrorism legislation.
The party issued a forceful statement on Thursday, demanding the release of innocent bystanders who have been swept up in the crackdown and charged under provisions of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, specifically those related to inciting public terror.
“We are not opposed to people facing the full force of the law for looting and other violations,” the statement read.
“However, we demand that the government release all the innocent bystanders they have wrongfully incarcerated under the guise of fighting terrorism.”
Dozens of citizens were arrested in recent weeks during protests that erupted across several regions after the suspicious circumstances surrounding Adrianna Younge’s death triggered a national outcry. Protesters blocked roads, burned tyres, and in some cases, were accused of looting. But the APNU contends that the government’s response—charging multiple individuals under anti-terrorism provisions—is excessive and politically motivated.
“We in the APNU also believe that the charge of inciting public terror under the Criminal Law Offences Act must be withdrawn and be replaced by an appropriate charge under the Act,” the party stated.
Calling the move “an abuse of power,” the opposition accused the government of weaponizing the legal system to “silence and instil fear in those demanding justice.”
Attorney General Anil Nandlall has publicly defended the charges, stating, “We couldn’t have found a better charge.” He claimed that acts such as lighting public roads on fire, robbing supermarkets, and brandishing weapons in public squarely meet the definition of terrorism as intended by the amended law.
However, the APNU insists that the terrorism label is being misused to criminalize dissent and blur the line between legitimate protest and criminal conduct.
Legal experts and civil society groups have begun weighing in, warning that such aggressive application of anti-terrorism laws in a politically charged environment could set a dangerous precedent and chill democratic expression.
As calls for justice for Adrianna Younge continue, so too do demands for transparency—not only in her case but in the government’s handling of the protests and its use of sweeping legal powers.
“This is not justice,” one APNU spokesperson said. “It’s repression disguised as law enforcement.”
The party has vowed to raise the issue in Parliament and with international human rights bodies if the government refuses to withdraw the charges and release those it says were “wrongfully imprisoned.”
