GUYANA | Police issue Wanted Bulletin for US based Activist Rickford Burke

GEORGETOWN,  Guyana, November 4, 2021 - The Guyana Police Force on Friday issued a wanted bulletin for US-based Guyanese political activist Rickford Burke, on allegations of inciting a breach of the peace; inciting public terror and Seditious Libel.

Burke has been a political thorn in the side of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration labelling the Ali/Jagdeo regime racist, 

Police say that Mr. Burke is wanted for several listed and unlisted offences. They include the excitement of hostility or ill-will on the grounds of  race in violation of the Racial Hostility Act; sedition, use of a computer system to intimidate in violation of the Cyber Crime Act; seditious libel, inciting the provocation of the breach of peace, and inciting public terror.

The charge of “excitement of hostility or ill-will on the grounds of Race refers to:  [Section. 2 of the Racial Hostility Act, whereby “any person who willfully excites or attempts to excite racial hostility against a particular race by means of words spoken in a public place or transmitted by telegraphy” can be charged with an offence.

In addition a person can be charged with  Sedition under the Cyber Crime Act, if [pursuant to s. 18(1)(a) and (f) the offence is made out if it’s against the government; 18(1)(a) and if it excites racial divisions (f).

The use of a computer system to coerce and intimidate under the Cyber Crime Act, [s.19 (3)] makes it an offence to disseminate information via computer which is known to be false to damage the reputation of another person.

Seditious Libel  refers to an offence at common law whereby any overt speech or conduct brings hatred and contempt against the Government. [s. 320 Criminal Law offences Act 8:01.]

Seditious Libel Seditious libel has been repudiated as a very oppressive legislation and only recently the European Union called for its repeal.

Inciting the provocation of a breach of the peace is itself an offence

While, inciting public terror. Inciting public terror in public places is an offence under s.137 of Cap. 8:01of the Act. 

It refers to  the incitement of persons to go to public places and behave a certain way could be incitement to cause public terror.

It is understood that Burke has been meeting with a number of American lawmakers, and earlier this year organised a march and rally at which several leading members of the People’s National Congress Reform had spoken. 

It is further understood that recently, Burke had organised a protest against Governance Minister Gail Teixeira and Prime Minister Mark Phillips during their visit to New York.

Wired sources for this article include demerarawaves.com and villagevoicenews.com