By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
Prominent attorney and Member of Parliament Dr. Dexter Todd, the Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs, has raised alarm over what he describes as the misuse of power by law enforcement officers, particularly instances of unlawful detention of citizens.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with HGP Nightly News, Dr. Todd said such practices represent serious human rights violations and called for a comprehensive parliamentary review of laws governing police authority and citizens’ rights.
“The law is very clear that you can keep someone in custody for 72 hours while pursuing active investigations,” Dr. Todd explained. “We believe there is misuse, and so we are definitely going to be looking back at that legislation and at the Constitution.”
He stated that the opposition intends to review the Constitution and other related statutes to ensure that police powers of arrest are exercised responsibly and that the rights of all Guyanese are protected.
Among the laws slated for review are the Cybercrime Act of 2018 and the Anti-Terrorism and Terrorist-Related Activities Act of 2015. Dr. Todd confirmed that draft motions to review the Cybercrime Act are already being circulated, following widespread concern from citizens who believe the law restricts free expression and enables victimization.
“People still feel they are not allowed to express themselves freely,” he noted. “We have serious concerns about that.”
While the Cybercrime Act was introduced under the former APNU+AFC administration, it has since faced ongoing criticism for provisions seen as conflicting with constitutional rights. In 2022, Attorney General Anil Nandlall announced plans to amend the law to align with United Nations conventions, but Dr. Todd insists more comprehensive reforms are needed.
The Shadow Minister also expressed concern over the application of terrorism-related charges in recent high-profile cases, including those involving Ariana Young, Ronaldo Peters, Leon Fortune, and the Henry boys, arguing that such charges may not meet the legal elements of terrorism.
“We saw a number of persons being charged for terrorism,” he said. “We don’t believe that those matters constitute terrorist behavior or the elements of the offence.”
Dr. Todd further emphasized that clear legislative standards must guide the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to prevent the misuse of prosecutorial discretion and ensure that justice is applied in accordance with the true intent of the law.
