Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) General Secretary Lincoln Lewis has strongly condemned the decision to remand Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and Police Constable Ryan Greene, arguing that their continued detention is unjustified and reflects what he describes as a troubling disregard for constitutional rights and the rule of law.
In an opinion piece published in Village Voice News on November 1, 2026, under the headline “No Justification for Remanding Azruddin Mohamed and Ryan Greene,” Lewis accused the Ali-Jagdeo administration of undermining the rights of the two accused men and called on Guyanese to resist what he characterised as abuses of state power.
Mohamed and Greene were remanded to prison until November 24 after appearing before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court on October 30. They were jointly charged under Section 9 of the Cybercrime Act 2018 with the unauthorised granting of access to or giving of electronic data. Police Constable Ashton Chappelle has since been charged for the same offences, and has been remand until November 24.
The charge arose from allegations that Greene, a police constable attached to the Guyana Police Force’s Command Centre, accessed and downloaded surveillance footage from the Safe City system and supplied it to Mohamed. The footage reportedly relates to an October 12 shooting incident outside the Kitty, Georgetown, residence of Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of the Police Force’s Special Branch Unit. An alleged payment of $800,000 has also featured in the prosecution’s account of the matter. Both men were denied bail.
Lewis questioned the decision to keep the two men in custody until November 24, describing the timing of the remand as particularly troubling because it occurred immediately before a weekend.
“Remanding them until November 24 under inhumane conditions—timed specifically before a weekend when lawyers could not appeal is an act of political wickedness – demonstrating deliberate and continued orchestrated efforts to undermine lawful rights.”
He called on citizens to speak out against what he considers an infringement of fundamental freedoms, arguing that the issue extends beyond the political standing of Mohamed or the employment status of Greene.
“The draconian measures being meted out to the duly elected Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed; and Constable Ryan Greene, an alleged whistle blowers, cannot be allowed to continue. These are in clear violation of laws and rights to their freedom.”
Lewis described Greene as an alleged whistleblower and warned that the treatment of the two men should concern all Guyanese, including those who may find themselves in conflict with public officials or state institutions.
He also placed responsibility for their safety and well-being on the Government, arguing that the administration must answer for any harm that may come to either man while in or out of prison.
“The safety and well-being of both Azruddin Mohamed and Constable Greene rest squarely at the feet of the Ali / Jagdeo regime. The administration must therefore be held fully accountable for any harm, orchestrated or accidental, that might befall either of them – in or out of prison.”
The GTUC head broadened his criticism to the country’s governance and accountability structures, accusing the Government of allowing alleged abuses of power and institutional failures to go unchallenged. He cited what he described as a history of corruption, electoral fraud, unsolved crimes, extra-judicial killings and violations of workers’ rights.
He further challenged public institutions, sections of the media and other organisations to fulfil their responsibility as watchdogs rather than, in his view, enabling those in authority.
A central argument in Lewis’s commentary was that the presumption of innocence must be protected, regardless of a person’s political affiliation, influence or position.
“Unless we the people, in parliament or out of parliament, uphold the principle that every citizen in a civilised and democratic society is innocent until proven guilty by a credible court of justice, we are silent partners in the crimes of State.”
Lewis maintained that the allegations against Mohamed and Greene did not justify their continued incarceration and urged the public to demand accountability from those responsible for administering justice.
His criticism comes as the legal challenge to Mohamed’s detention has moved to the High Court. His mother, Bonita Mohamed, filed an application seeking to overturn Magistrate Gibbs’s October 30 decision refusing him bail and secure his release.
The application was heard before Justice Priscilla Chandra-Hanif on November 4, but the court adjourned the matter to November 12 to allow the defence to address deficiencies in the supporting affidavit. A ruling on the bail application is expected on November 13.
Lewis concluded by insisting that the constitutional rights of Mohamed, Greene and every other citizen facing alleged injustice must be respected.
“How many more years must we wait to hold the Ali / Jagdeo regime accountable?”
He called on Guyanese to challenge what he described as abuses of power, declaring: “Enough is enough.”
The allegations against Mohamed and Greene remain before the courts. Neither man has been convicted in the Cybercrime Act matter, and both are entitled to the presumption of innocence while the proceedings continue.
