The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has demanded the immediate release of Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and Police Constable Ryan Greene, while condemning what it describes as a disturbing pattern of State intimidation, police excesses and violations of citizens’ constitutional rights.
In a hard-hitting statement issued Friday, October 30, the trade union body warned that the remand of the two men and the police treatment of protesters raise serious questions about the protection of democracy, freedom of expression and the independence of State institutions under the Irfaan Ali administration.
Mohamed and Greene were remanded until November 24 after appearing at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court on charges under the Cybercrime Act relating to the alleged unauthorised handling and disclosure of electronic data. Magistrate Abigail Gibbs refused bail after the prosecution opposed their release.
Citing Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde’s position that the offences are bailable, the GTUC questioned the decision to keep both men behind bars and warned that Mohamed’s detention could have consequences far beyond the courtroom.
“The Congress believes that the continued incarceration of the Opposition Leader is intended not only to stifle his work and curtail his freedom, but also to send a message to ordinary citizens that the Irfaan Ali regime intends to use the apparatus of the State to silence independent and dissenting voices.”
The union rejected any attempt to reduce the matter to a personal dispute between President Ali and Mohamed, arguing that the fundamental issue is whether State power is being used to suppress political opposition and intimidate citizens.
It pointed to Mohamed’s constitutional position as Leader of the Opposition, noting that he represents a substantial section of the electorate based on the Guyana Elections Commission’s declaration of the 2025 General and Regional Elections.
With King Charles III in Guyana, the GTUC drew an unsettling parallel between the current developments and the colonial-era repression of political leaders who fought for independence, including Dr Cheddi Jagan and poet Martin Carter.
The union said independence must mean more than the absence of British rule.
“In 2026, Guyana is fighting for a new form of independence: the freedom to express our thoughts, to sit at the decision-making table as equals, to hold the government accountable and to be treated as equal citizens of this nation.”
CCTV footage puts police account under scrutiny
The GTUC also challenged the police account of the October 12 confrontation involving Mohamed and senior police personnel.
It recalled that police initially presented Mohamed as the aggressor. After he demanded the release of CCTV footage, the government reportedly said the recording could not be located. The GTUC said footage subsequently released purportedly showed Special Branch Head Prem Narine as the aggressor.
The union questioned how often ordinary citizens may have been subjected to questionable police accounts without access to evidence capable of challenging them.
While stressing that Greene’s alleged involvement is for the courts to determine, the GTUC said the footage raises serious questions about police accountability and the treatment of citizens.
It also placed responsibility for the safety of both men squarely on the State while they remain in custody.
“If anything happens to either man, that responsibility will be laid at the feet of the Ali regime.”
Women and parliamentarians caught in police confrontations
The GTUC’s condemnation extended to police confrontations with protesters on Thursday and Friday, which it said involved violations of the constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.
Among those singled out were Hana Mohamed, the Opposition Leader’s sister and office manager; Jasmin Cort, whose family lost her father and uncle in the MV Barima tragedy; and former government minister and parliamentarian Annette Ferguson. The union said Cort and Ferguson were thrown to the ground during the confrontations.
APNU parliamentarian Dr Terrence Campbell was also caught up in the police altercations, while fellow parliamentarian Sherod Duncan was handcuffed.
The union said the treatment of protesters unfolded in full view of international media and diplomatic representatives gathered for the King’s visit. It called on the monarch, the diplomatic community and international organisations to take note of what it described as a troubling state of affairs in Guyana.
In its strongest condemnation, the GTUC compared the conduct it described to authoritarian policing under Haiti’s former dictator François “Papa Doc” Duvalier and the notorious Tonton Macoutes.
The comparison underscored the union’s warning that police power must never become an instrument for targeting citizens who challenge those in authority.
‘A violation is a violation’
The GTUC insisted that fundamental rights cannot depend on political loyalties or public opinion about the individuals involved.
“A violation is a violation. It matters not whether one agrees with Mohamed’s politics, considers him to have personal shortcomings, past or present, or has reservations about allegations involving Constable Greene.”
The union said allegations of wrongdoing must be investigated through lawful procedures, not used to justify violations of constitutional protections.
It warned that silence in the face of abuses against political opponents could leave ordinary citizens and their families vulnerable to the same treatment.
The statement ended with a call for Guyanese to put aside political differences and defend the principles of justice, accountability and equal citizenship.
“Guyanese must put aside personal feelings and, in this moment, stand up and declare that enough is enough. Right is right and wrong is wrong.”
The GTUC’s intervention places renewed pressure on the authorities to address concerns surrounding the remand of Mohamed and Greene and the police handling of protesters. It also raises a broader question: whether constitutional freedoms are being protected equally, or whether the exercise of those rights is becoming increasingly costly for those who challenge the government.
