Opposition Leader released after second arrest for ‘breaching security protocol’, others remain in custody

Last Updated on Friday, 4 September 2026, 7:30 by Denis Chabrol

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed was late Thursday night arrested a second time and held at the Leonora Police Station, West Coast Demerara apparently because he was showing several persons what seemed to have led to to his first arrest hours earlier.

Mr Mohamed was subsequently released from custody again, but his mobile phone was kept by police, General Secretary of the main opposition We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Odessa Primus.

WIN executive member Tabita Sarabo-Halley said WIN parliamentarians Dr Gordon Barker, Dr Andre Lewis and regional councillor Sean Nelson were also released from police custody without charge and their phones, which were taken to another location, were returned. Mr Nelson’s phone was not returned he was expected to return later Friday for it. Ms Halley said Mr Mohamed’s phone, laptop and vehicle were yet to be returned by police.

Law enforcement agencies around the world have specialised devices that can unlock phones and computers and access all data for investigative purposes.

According to a Facebook Live, Mr Mohamed was showing a number of persons where he and his photographer were earlier Thursday after which they  were intercepted by police and taken to the station. A drone was found in the vehicle but Mr Mohamed said it was not his property and it was not being used.

The Guyana Police Force did not name Mr Mohamed in its statement early Thursday night but said two vehicles were seen acting in a suspicious manner near President Irfaan Ali’s private residence at Leonora.

Mr Mohamed denied he was in the street where Dr Ali’s private home is located.

After he was released from custody on self-bail, he escorted several persons with him on foot to the area where he said he and his photographer had gone in the evening to observe sea defence works. While walking he commented and showed on Facebook Live a large area of land near a masjid that was protected by a very sturdy, high concrete fence. “Like this chap ain’t know the more he fights me down, the more I will expose things. Like Irfaan Ali ain’t know the more he fights me down, the more I am going to expose things about him and his government?,” Mr Mohamed remarked. He and others alleged that the fence encroached on a government reserve.

Police minutes later approached and escorted them back to the station. Before he complied with instructions to enter the police compound, Mr Mohamed repeatedly asked what offence he allegedly committed. A senior police officer said, “it is alleged that you breached security protocol” . Police also instructed him to discontinue the Facebook Live broadcast.

The photographer, driver of another vehicle that Mr Mohamed said was not associated with him, and a number of WIN parliamentarians were also held in custody.