Guyana Human Rights Association Accuses US, Government Over Mohamed Extradition Case

Opinion: Azruddin Mohamed’s rise from U.S.-sanctioned gold businessman to opposition leader, and now detention in Lusignan, has become a major test of Guyana’s justice system and political fairness. While he faces serious extradition and local criminal allegations, his supporters say the government is using the courts against a new political threat.

The Guyana Human Rights Association has accused the U.S. and Guyana governments of blurring the line between extradition and political persecution in the case against Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohammed, saying American legal counsel appears to be acting like a prosecutor. It has urged Washington to reconsider its role and called on international rights bodies and local civil society to closely monitor the proceedings.

In this opinion column, GHK Lall argues that Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed must change his approach, saying repeated arrests, court battles and clashes with authorities are weakening the office. The piece says Mohamed should focus on parliamentary work and disciplined leadership, rather than putting himself in situations that keep ending in legal trouble.

This opinion column criticizes the Guyana Human Rights Association’s Nov. 3 statement on the extradition case involving Mohamed, arguing it relies on speculation about political collusion rather than evidence. It says the focus should be on due process and the courts, not claims that Guyana and the United States are jointly targeting a political opponent.

The Guyana Human Rights Association says the PPP government is using U.S. legal help in the extradition case against Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed to weaken its main rival, and it says the American lawyers are being funded by Guyana. It also criticized Mohamed’s denied bail and urged international rights bodies and local legal groups to monitor the case, which it says has major implications for Guyana’s justice system and political independence.

APNU MP Sherod Duncan said the Government’s handling of Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed in the extradition case could set a dangerous precedent for democracy and the rule of law. Speaking outside the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court, he also raised concerns about state custody, surveillance powers and weak parliamentary oversight, citing the death of Gavin Douglas as an example of why public trust is eroding.

In an interview, GTUC General Secretary Lincoln Lewis said the remand of Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and Constable Ryan Greene under the Cybercrime Act could be a political move to secure Mohamed’s conviction and weaken his influence. He warned the case could chill dissent and raise concerns about judicial independence, constitutional protections and opposition rights in Guyana.

Former Georgetown mayor and Hindu pandit Ubraj Narine used a candlelight vigil on Sunday to criticise what he called the silence of diplomats, religious groups and business leaders over the Mohamed family’s treatment. He said their public response matters for justice and democracy, and accused some institutions of avoiding the issue because of political ties. Narine also attacked the Ali administration, urging Guyanese to speak out against unfairness.