The International Parliamentary Union (IPU) has said threats against parliamentarians have increased globally, a “record number of 739 parliamentarians from 44 countries all over the world, suffering violations of their fundamental rights this year.
According to the IPU the “2022 figures represent an increase of nearly 10% compared to 2021 (673 MPs in 44 countries)” and confirmed a continuous upward trend since 2014 in the number of cases examined by the IPU Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians. The organization stated that the most common violations reported continue to be attacked on MPs’ freedom of expression followed by suspension or loss of parliamentary mandate; threats and acts of intimidation; and lack of a fair trial and other unfair proceedings.
In Guyana Member of Parliament Sherod Duncan was recently arrested for incitement and obstruction, along with the Mayor of Georgetown Ubraj Narine. Both have proclaimed their innocence and see the charges as the long arm of the state attempting to muzzle their activism. The duo are on $300,000 bail each and are to return to court in January of the new year.
Additionally, Duncan was suspended from the National Assembly for eight consecutive Sittings. The MP was not paid for five months which spanned the last four Sittings. As his suspension ended he was informed he will not be paid until May 2023 since he should not have been paid for his first four sittings’ suspension. A number of other MPs of the Parliamentary Opposition are on similar suspensions and allege political victimization by the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
