GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Nov 2, CMC – The Guyana government says it will launch a full scale investigation into the “alleged unauthorised access to, extraction, and disclosure of surveillance footage from the Guyana Police Force Command Centre,” as calls mount for the release from “solitary” confinement of the Opposition Leader, Azruddin Mohamed, who has been implicated in the matter.
In a statement the Ministry of Home Affairs said that the matter is of “ grave concern to the …. wider National Security Services” adding that “it represents a serious threat to the confidentiality and integrity of Guyana’s law enforcement operations.
“The matter is now under police investigation, which must proceed on the evidence and in accordance with the law. Political office does not confer immunity from investigation, just as political affiliation cannot be a basis for prosecution.”
Mohamed and Police Constable Ryan Greene were denied bail when they appeared at the Sparendaam Magistrates’ Court last Thursday and remanded to prison until November 24.
They have been charged under the Cybercrime Act, which relates to the alleged unauthorised access to and disclosure of electronic data connected to national security.
The case stems from the alleged downloading and disclosure of surveillance footage showing an October 12 incident in which Senior Superintendent Prem Narine, head of the Guyana Police Force’s Special Branch, shot at a vehicle Mohamed was travelling in. The incident occurred after the vehicle was allegedly intercepted near Narine’s residence.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said that “such conduct, if established, would constitute an abuse of entrusted access, with the potential to compromise sensitive investigations, undermine operational security, and interfere with the proper administration of justice. It raises fundamental questions about adherence to the standard operating procedures governing the Command Centre and the adequacy of safeguards protecting sensitive information.
“Accordingly, the Ministry expects a comprehensive review of personnel, access controls, supervisory arrangements, and operational procedures at the Command Centre. The review will establish the extent of the breach, identify any failures of conduct or oversight, and ensure that appropriate action is taken. Its findings will guide stronger security controls, tighter supervision, rigorous enforcement of procedures, and the adoption of best practices to protect sensitive information and strengthen accountability. This will also inform legislative reform.”
But the main opposition, We Invest in Nationhood, which is headed by Mohamed, said in a statement that the “persecution” of its leader “is an attack on Guyana’s democrac.
“The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) Movement is calling on the international community and the people of Guyana to pay attention to what is unfolding in our country.
What is happening to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Azruddin Mohamed, is no longer simply about one individual. It is about the future of our democracy, the freedom of political opposition, and the right of elected representatives to hold the Government accountable without fear of intimidation or persecution,” said the statement, signed by the party’s general secretary, Odessa Primus.
It said that over the past year, “we have witnessed an alarming pattern of arrests, detention, police investigations, and the seizure of property involving the Opposition Leader” including his arrest last October “alongside his father, just days before Parliament’s first sitting, at a time when he was expected to assume the position of Leader of the Opposition”.
It said that law enforcement authorities have since February mounted several searches of Mohamed’s residence and office seizing documents and that “his latest arrest and subsequent remand to prison alongside a young police constable over allegations surrounding the release of surveillance footage” which took place last month.
“We are calling on the international community, including diplomatic missions and international human rights organizations, to pay attention, speak out, and hold this Government accountable. The world cannot look away while the democratic space in Guyana continues to come under pressure.”
The minority opposition party in Parliament, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), said in a statement that it is “deeply concerned” by Mohamed’s remand to prison, noting that the charge he faces relates to a non-violent offence.
“The Bail Act requires a court to have reason to believe, on evidence, that a defendant is likely to commit another offence before bail is refused,” APNU said in a statement on Friday. “Pending allegations are not convictions, and the presumption of innocence applies. We believe the basis for the finding deserves close scrutiny, and we trust his High Court application will be heard independently and on the evidence alone.”
However, the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) said Mohamed was placed in solitary confinement at the Lusignan Prison based on an assessment.
“Upon his admission on Friday, October 30, 2026, Mr. Mohamed was assessed and classified as a high-profile prisoner through the Prison Management Offenders System.
“That classification informs decisions concerning his placement, accommodation and level of supervision. It is a security and management determination and is not intended as punishment,” the GPS said in its statement.
The GPS rejected a claim by Mohamed’s sister, Hana Mohamed that he was being subjected to “inhumane or degrading treatment, being improperly isolated and subjected to unacceptable conditions, including inadequate ventilation, continuous lighting, restrictions on exercise and limitations on contact with other prisoners.
“The GPS wishes to make clear that Mr. Mohamed is being managed in accordance with established prison procedures, having regard to his classification, security requirements, safety and welfare,” the GPS said, adding that as part of the admission process, Mohamed was examined by a medical officer and seen by a welfare officer.
He was also briefed by the officer-in-charge of the Lusignan Prison on the rules of the institution and the conditions governing his detention.
The GPS said that reasonable access to his family and communication has been facilitated and that since his remand, he has been seen by senior officials of the prison and was even allowed to make a telephone call to his son ahead f his birthday on Sunday.
“The Guyana Prison Service has a duty to maintain the security of its institutions while safeguarding the dignity, safety and welfare of every person lawfully placed in its custody.
A prisoner’s public profile does not diminish those protections, nor does it exempt that prisoner from the security procedures applicable to his classification,” the GPS said.
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