Attorney General Justifies Terrorism Charges Amid Adriana Younge Protest Fallout
By Tiana Cole | HGP Nightly News.
GEORGETOWN, GUYANA — As over 40 individuals remain remanded to prison for allegedly inciting public terror during recent protests over the death of 11-year-old Adriana Younge, Attorney General Anil Nandlall is defending the decision to prosecute them under Guyana’s terrorism laws.
The protests—which erupted following confirmation that Adriana died by drowning—quickly escalated into acts of looting, arson, and widespread violence in several regions. Despite concerns raised by members of the legal community and civil society, the Attorney General says the charges are both legally appropriate and necessary.
“To those who say this is the wrong charge, I say—**we couldn’t find a better one,” Nandlall declared, referring to the Anti-Terrorism and Related Activities Act.
Guyana’s chief legal advisor explained that under the Act, terrorism is defined as any act committed with the intent to strike fear, cause injury or death, or damage property. He argued that the conduct of some protesters clearly meets that threshold.
“When you set roads on fire, rob passersby, loot supermarkets, chop vagrants—what else are you doing if not striking terror into the hearts of people?” Nandlall stated firmly.
His comments come amid criticism that charging demonstrators with terrorism is excessive, and could discourage legitimate dissent or peaceful assembly. But Nandlall was clear in drawing a line between peaceful protest—which he acknowledged as a fundamental right—and violent criminal activity, which he said the state has a duty to suppress.
“You have a right to protest. But violence, intimidation, and destruction of property will not be tolerated,” he said.
The legal response to the Adriana Younge protest fallout has sparked a national debate about the limits of protest, the use of state power, and the evolving role of anti-terror laws in domestic unrest.
As those charged await trial, human rights groups and opposition leaders have vowed to challenge the charges and push for legal reform, while victims of the protest violence call for justice and compensation.
