Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed was detained by police in the early hours of Wednesday, hours before he was scheduled to appear in court, following a late-night search of a privately owned vessel at a wharf in Friendship, East Bank Demerara.
The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Party, in a statement shared on Team Mohamed’s Facebook page, said members of the Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force and Coast Guard arrived at approximately 10:15 p.m. at the wharf located at the premises of Mohamed.
The party did not say which court matter its Leader was expected to attend. As at 08:10hrs today, Mohamed was still said to be detained by police.
According to the party, Mohamed was seated aboard a privately owned vessel that was docked at the wharf, along with Members of Parliament Odessa Primus and Natasha Lewis. MPs Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Dawn Hastings-Williams and Deon LaCruz were reportedly standing on the wharf.
WIN said the officers requested permission to search the vessel and, when asked under what authority the search was being conducted, the officer in charge reportedly cited “reasonable suspicion” of illegal activity.
The party said the officers subsequently called for reinforcements, disconnected the vessel from the dock and towed it to the Marine Wing of the Ruimveldt Police Station, where a search was conducted.
WIN said nothing illegal was found aboard the vessel.
Despite this, the party said police informed Mohamed that the vessel was being detained because relevant documentation had not been produced.
According to the statement, when Mohamed requested documentation confirming the detention of the vessel, he was instead invited to sign a statement prepared by police, which he declined to sign.
He was subsequently informed that he was under arrest pursuant to the “Maritime Act”.
WIN said Mohamed questioned the officer about the specific provision of the Act under which he was being arrested, but the officer was unable to identify or cite the provision and instead reiterated that the arrest was being made under the “Maritime Act”.
The party said Mohamed remained in custody at the Marine Wing of the Ruimveldt Police Station at the time the statement was released.
WIN said the circumstances were particularly concerning because Mohamed was scheduled to appear before the court Wednesday morning.
The party also questioned the legal basis for the detention of the vessel and Mohamed’s arrest, noting that the vessel was already docked when the authorities arrived and that Mohamed was not operating it.
It said no formal seizure or detention notice had been provided to Mohamed and that no specific provision of the Shipping Act had been identified as the legal basis for either the detention of the vessel or his arrest.
WIN also claimed that officers had been making repeated telephone calls and consulting with others regarding what action should be taken next.
The party said the circumstances raise concerns about whether the actions were based on a legitimate enforcement process or influenced by “external directives and political considerations.”
WIN described the continued detention of Mohamed as raising concerns about the possible selective and politically motivated use of state agencies against the Opposition Leader.
The party called on the authorities to identify the specific law and provision being relied upon, as well as the factual basis for the actions being taken.
WIN said it would closely monitor the matter and pursue available legal and constitutional avenues to protect Mohamed’s rights.
