Opposition Leader seeks international intervention in Guyana’s political situation

Last Updated on Monday, 7 September 2026, 9:52 by Written By Denis Chabrol

Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed has asked the international community to intervene in Guyana’s political situation in which he and his staff members have been arrested, vehicles impounded, devices seized and his political platform on Facebook taken down.

“The appropriate time for democratic partners to express concern is before democratic norms are irreparably weakened, not after,” WIN said in a five-page brief dated September 5, 2026.

Mr Mohamed called on the international partners to hold face-to-face talks to “engage directly with representatives of the political opposition to independently assess the rapidly developing political environment.”

Relations with the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) and President Irfan Ali on the one hand and Mr Mohamed Jr and his father Nazar “Shell” Mohamed went downhill rapidly almost immediately after they were sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department for alleged evasion of US$50 million in taxes from the smuggling or more than 10 kilogrammes of gold. The Mohameds were in 2025 indicted by a US Grand Jury for alleged wire fraud, mail fraud and money laundering through their gold trading business. They are fighting an extradition request to face a trial in a Florida Federal Court. Despite repeated warnings to the electorate by the PPPC, WIN won 109,075 votes in the September 1, 2025 general and regional elections and 16 seats to become Guyana’s main opposition party.

Mr Mohamed and two persons were last week arrested after they were allegedly seen in dark tinted vehicles in the vicinity of President Irfaan Ali’s residence at Leonora, West Coast Demerara. Mr Mohamed was subsequently released but his mobile phone and daughter’s laptop remained in police custody. He also alleged that while those devices were in police custody, his Team Mohamed’s Facebook post of more than 500,000 followers was deleted.

“The seizure and examination of the personal communications devices of elected representatives is particularly sensitive, where those devices may contain confidential political, legal, and constituent communications,” the Office of the Leader of the Opposition added.  The brief to the international community also states that the the Leader of the Opposition, parliamentarians and elected regional councillors to perform their constitutional functions without intimidation or improper State interference is therefore directly connected to the integrity of Guyana’s democratic institutions.

The Opposition Leader says the the central question requiring clarification is, what is the precise legal authority under which the State is retaining, accessing, and examining the private communications of Guyana’s Leader of the Opposition. “This is particularly serious because the devices may contain privileged legal communications, confidential political discussions, and communications with Members of Parliament and other elected representatives, journalists, and members of the public, as well as sensitive information relating to political organizing and opposition activity,” that briefing states.

On the issue of the disappearance of the Facebook page operated under the name “Team Mohamed’s”, “an important political communication platform” associated with Mr Mohamed and his political movement, the Opposition Leader’s Office says the page was accessible before the seizure of Mr Mohamed’s devices and subsequently became inaccessible while those devices were in State custody. “The circumstances raise serious concerns regarding possible interference with political communication. At minimum, the matter warrants an independent forensic examination to determine whether the account or page was accessed, whether credentials or authentication information were obtained from the seized devices, and whether the page was disabled or deleted through State action. All relevant digital evidence should be preserved pending such examination,” the brief states.

The Opposition Leader’s Office is also asking the international community to seek clarification from the Guyana government regarding the legal basis for the detention of the Leader of the Opposition, elected representatives, and opposition staff; seek clarification regarding the seizure, removal, retention, and examination of the electronic devices belonging to the Leader of the Opposition, parliamentarians, regional councillors and opposition staff, including the legal authority for such actions; seek clarification regarding the chain of custody and handling of the seized devices, including the circumstances surrounding the failure to locate regional Councillor Nelson’s phone upon his release.

“The issues outlined in this brief should not be viewed as isolated incidents involving individual politicians. Their cumulative effect raises serious questions about the protection of political pluralism, the independence and impartiality of State institutions, the handling of private political communications, and the ability of the Opposition to carry out its constitutional functions without intimidation or interference,” the brief states.

WIN says it remains committed to peaceful, constitutional, and democratic political engagement and to ensuring that the people of Guyana can exercise their democratic rights without fear or intimidation.