The Guyana Press Association (GPA) says that for several months now, media professionals across the country have raised concerns about harassment, aggression, intimidation, and non-cooperation by politicians across the political spectrum.
According to the association, Guyanese politicians continuously seek to “normalise” targeting media houses and media workers in many forms. Over the past years, those actions included singling out journalists and media houses in the most disparaging, discriminatory and vulgar ways of aggressively responding or addressing journalists, and preferential treatment and access by media houses for interviews.
Below are some of the concerns, the GPA says was raised over the past few months by media houses:
Threats of sedition and obstruction charges
In October, through a statement from the Guyana Police Force, Head of the Special Organised Crime Unit, Fazil Karimbaksh threatened to institute sedition and obstruction of justice charges against journalist Leroy Smith for a news report as part of Smith’s reporting on the Calvin Brutus ivestigation.
Stabroek News reporter shouted at by Minister of Foreign Affairs
In October, Stabroek News in its reporting called out Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd for his aggression towards reporter Khadidja Ba. While covering the special sitting of Parliament on October 10th, Ba was approached by Minister Todd and shouted at for her reporting on an issue related to migrants in Linden.
State Media Workers targeted by Opposition Members
State media workers have filed two complaints with the Guyana Press Association over the past couple of months. This included a report on May 18th that NCN Manager Reycia Nedd complained about being intimidated by APNU Councillor Vanessa Kissoon. Nedd detailed a verbal attack on herself which prompted her to leave the assignment.
Additionally, reporters attached to the Guyana Chronicle have complained to the GPA about aggression from Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton to their questions at the Party’s press conference. Reporters said that many of these questions are met with aggressive or refusal to answer. On May 30th, Guyana Chronicle in an editorial called out Kaieteur News for referring to a journalist as “annoying” in her questioning of the Opposition Leader.
In October, National Communications Network (NCN) Linden raised another issue of “threatening language” being used against reporter Ianna Benjamin by an APNU councillor, Abdulla Hamid. According to NCN, the incident occurred during a Mayor and Town Council meeting and has left the reporter traumatised.
Kaieteur News Reporter targeted
On World Press Freedom Day, Reporter Anasha Williams was the focus of a Facebook live video where Commentator Mikhail Rodrigues showed several videos of hers at a Vice President Jagdeo Press conference while calling her derogatory names.
President’s Press Conference
On June 20th, 2024, at a Presidential press conference, members of the media were berated and insulted by President Ali. Two reporters Vahnu Manickchand of the Guyana Times and Shervin Belgrave of Kaieteur News were insulted, one being grilled on a question she asked, and Belgrave being scolded by President Ali.
News Source Journalist targeted
Aggression towards journalist Svetlana Marshall. President Ali on more than one occasions singled out Marshall during sideline interviews. One such interview was in November 2023 as the journalist asked him about the rising cost of living. Another sideline interview was on the power ship in March 2024. Both times, Ali was aggressive towards Marshall but not with other reporters.
Targeting GPA
Responses to GPA in June 2024 – In addressing the disrespect of the media professionals by the President, the President of the GPA was also attacked for comments made in support of the media workers. In an effort to discredit Nazima Raghubir as a journalist, Vice President Jagdeo continued his attack on Raghubir on June 27th, August 8th and August 15th. These public comments are often followed by cyberbullying by known social media accounts and letter and column writers in the state media.
