Introduction
Political violence targeting women
On 26th January 2024, opposition women Members of Parliament (MPs) raised concerns about verbal attacks from other MPs and ministers. During the debate on the 2024 budget, MP Juretha Fernandes was particularly targeted in these attacks. Her colleague, MP Amanza Walton criticised the Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, for failing to take action against the alleged perpetrators.
“From the outset I want to condemn in the strongest possible terms the verbal abuse that continues to be meted out to female members of this house by members of the other side. Mister Speaker, the disrespect of our women in politics must stop. Mister Speaker, we have to be determined to develop a better culture in this National Assembly,” said Walton-Desir.
Guyana’s human rights under review
In March 2024, the UN Human Rights Committee reviewed Guyana’s record in implementing the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The Committee expressed concern over the ongoing harassment, intimidation and defamation lawsuits faced by journalists, media workers and human rights defenders in Guyana, including environmental defenders.
Additionally, the Committee noted that the existing legal framework, particularly the Cyber Crime Act 2018, poses significant risks to freedom of expression due to its vague provisions and broad restrictions. The Committee underscored the lack of independence within the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority, as its members are appointed by the President, raising concerns about impartiality in regulatory decisions.
Therefore, the Committee urged the State to align its practices with Article 19 of the ICCPR immediately. Key recommendations included preventing harassment of journalists and human rights defenders, revising the Cyber Crime Act to ensure its compliance with international standards, and decriminalising defamation (CCPR/C/GUY/CO/3).
Expression
Vice President Jagdeo targets independent newspapers in a press conference
On 4th January 2024, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo opened his press conference by criticising the independent newspaper Stabroek News for its coverage of the Leader of the Opposition’s New Year’s message. He accused the newspaper of prioritising the Opposition Leader’s message over the President's. He claimed that the newspaper had “fact-checked” the President’s message but had not applied the same scrutiny to the Opposition Leader's message.
During the same press briefing, the Vice President responded to a reporter from another independent newspaper, Kaieteur News, by naming the newspaper’s publisher and reading from his notes about a 1994 incident in which the publisher allegedly shot a man. In response to the reporter's questions, the Vice President stated he would “promise” to share a new story about the publisher every week. He then asked the reporter, “Are you working for a killer?” before retracting the question, saying, “I am not asking that, I withdraw the question.”
Later, as the reporter consulted her phone, the Vice President inquired whether she had received instructions. The reporter clarified that she was simply taking notes.
Opposition leader faces defamation lawsuit
In January 2024, Zulfikar Mustapha, the Minister of Agriculture of Guyana, filed a defamation lawsuit against Aubrey Norton, the leader of the opposition. The lawsuit stems from statements published on social media platforms allegedly operated by the political coalition led by Norton, the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC).
Minister Mustapha is seeking GYD 5 million in damages (US$ 24,000), asserting that the posts contained false and defamatory allegations regarding the involvement of the Ministry in the illegal smuggling of chicken into the country. The Minister claimed that these statements have caused reputational damage to his personal and professional standing, including his capacity as a public official responsible for agricultural governance. According to media reports, these accusations were circulated broadly, damaging his credibility and the Ministry’s public image.
Aubrey Norton had not formally responded to the lawsuit at the time of this report. The statements attributed to him, however, reportedly allege that the Ministry of Agriculture, under Mustapha’s leadership, facilitated or was complicit in the illicit importation of poultry products. These statements were widely disseminated through social media platforms affiliated with APNU+AFC, generating public discussion and media coverage.
Association
Simona Broomes takes legal action for defamation
On 22nd January 2024, Mikhail Rodrigues, widely known as the “Guyanese Critic,” made several public accusations against Simona Broomes, a human rights activist and former government minister, through social media posts. Rodrigues alleged that Broomes was involved in operating a “whore house” in a mining community, participating in human trafficking, receiving an improper US$225,000 government scholarship, and engaging in fraudulent activities. These statements were disseminated to a wide audience via social media.
In response to these allegations, Simona Broomes filed a defamation lawsuit, seeking GYD 450 million in damages (USD$ 2,100,000. Broomes, who has worked for over 26 years defending women and girls against human trafficking, has argued that these accusations were false, malicious and intended to damage her reputation severely. In 2013, she was awarded by the US State Department as an International Hero in the fight against human trafficking.
Guyana’s Vice President seeks disclosure of human rights complainants amid retaliation concerns
On 31 March, Guyana’s Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo, publicly called for the disclosure of people and organisations who provided information on alleged human rights violations during the review of the country’s third periodic report by the UN Human Rights Committee (see introduction). Jagdeo argued that identifying the complainants would enable the government to understand the motivations behind the allegations better and engage more directly with the concerns raised.
Civil society organisations, however, criticised this request as a retaliatory measure intended to intimidate those who have cooperated with the UN. They warned that such actions could deter future participation in reporting human rights violations.
Guyana teachers’ union wins court battle over strike and collective bargaining rights
On 5th February 2024, teachers across Guyana commenced a nationwide strike that lasted for four weeks. Organised by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), the strike stemmed from several grievances, including the government’s failure to address the union’s proposed multi-year agreement and concerns over imposed salary increases. During the strike, teachers participated in picketing activities, leading to widespread school closures and low attendance rates across the country.
The government responded by calling for an end to the strike, labelling it illegal. The Ministry of Education then halted the automatic deduction of union dues from teachers’ salaries, sparking accusations of union busting. The government further claimed that the union's financial accounts had not been audited. The GTU disputed this assertion, stating that the accounts had been presented publicly at its annual teachers’ conference.
In response to the government’s decision to cut the salaries of striking teachers, the GTU took legal action. On 1st March 2024, Justice Sandil Kissoon ordered mediation between the GTU and the government, represented by Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain. The mediation aimed to address the union’s grievances through mutual proposals.
On 4th March, the strike officially ended following the court-ordered mediation. However, by 12th March, the GTU announced that talks with the government had “collapsed” after the government refused to consider the union’s proposed multi-year agreement for 2019-2023. By 15th March, the GTU returned to the High Court, seeking an order compelling the government to engage in collective bargaining regarding salaries for 2019-2023.
On 19th April 2024, Justice Sandil Kissoon ruled in favour of the teachers, stating that their strike was justified and that the government had violated their right to collective bargaining. The ruling affirmed that teachers’ salaries should not be subjected to deductions, as their right to strike and to negotiate salary agreements through collective bargaining had been improperly infringed.
Following the court’s decision, the government issued a statement criticising the ruling, claiming that it “has completely dismantled a salutary principle which has struck a vital balance between the employer and the employee in industrial relations for centuries.”
Peaceful Assembly
Red Thread Women activists hold a series of peaceful protests
On 26th February, women activists from the Red Thread Women organisation protested during the opening of the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting. The group called for a cease-fire and an end to genocide in Gaza. Police barricades prevented more than one dozen women and men from getting close to the event venue.
On 6th March, the Red Thread Women also held a series of pickets outside the Office of the President on the first Wednesday of every month. Among the issues highlighted were demands for liability coverage in the oil contract between ExxonMobil and the Guyana government and better living conditions for Guyanese.
On 26th March, Read Thread, along with the Haiti Support Group, picketed outside the Arthur Chung Convention Centre, where the Dominican Republic Business Chamber hosted a special meeting with an address by Former US President Bill Clinton. The groups picketed to demonstrate solidarity with the people of Haiti and their right to self-determination, free movement, and national sovereignty.
They denounced what they described as “the racist and discriminatory policies of the Dominican Republic against Haitians”, as well as the Government of Guyana’s violation of the Treaty of Chaguaramas about Haitians’ right to free movement throughout the Caribbean. The protesters also called out former US President Clinton for his role in contributing to the “corruption and destabilisation of Haiti.”
Parents demand trauma counselling at Mahdia secondary school following 2023 tragedy
On 23rd January 2024, parents of the students attending the Mahdia Secondary School picketed in front of the school building, calling for counselling for the boys attending the hinterland school. The school is in the township of Mahdia, a mining district in region 7. It caters mainly to Indigenous children who reside in far-flung Indigenous communities. In 2023, a fire destroyed the girl’s dormitory, killing 19 students. To date, the parents of several boys who still attend the school complain about the lack of trauma counselling, which continues to affect school attendance.
Haitian citizens picket CARICOM Heads of Government meeting
On 27th February 2024, members of the Haitian community in Guyana held a public demonstration outside the venue of the summit of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders, calling for the resignation of Haiti’s Prime Minister, Ariel Henry. The protesters voiced their dissatisfaction with the Prime Minister’s leadership, particularly in light of Haiti’s ongoing socio-political and economic crisis.
“We were supposed to have elections three months after the death of our President […]. It is now three years and he is still in the office,” said Robinson Ducaby, a protester.
The protest in Georgetown was part of a broader wave of global demonstrations by Haitian expatriates who have been advocating for political change and improved governance in their home country.