President Irfaan Ali, this afternoon, issued a stern warning to persons utilising social media platforms to promote racial hatred, race baiting and race hostility.
He said that he has instructed Attorney General Anil Nandlall to take the necessary steps to ensure that those persons are brought to justice for violating the law.
“The use of social media for the promotion of racial hatred for political purpose is wholly unacceptable to me as your President and as a person, and my government will not tolerate it. I have spoken with my Attorney General and I have directed him to ensure that the full force of our laws is employed and is applied to those who pursue this criminal behaviour,” the President said.
In an address to the nation, President Ali said that he is unequivocally committed to governing Guyana and its people, regardless of political affiliation or ethnic origin and shall do so, without reservation.
“It deeply grieves me, therefore, when I see almost every day on social media, the degree of race baiting, racial hate and racial hostility which pervades the social media platforms. I want you to know that it is my determination to do everything within my power and to use all the laws at my disposal, to put an end to this behaviour, which can only result in dividing our country and our people,” Ali said.
He reminded that while freedom of expression guaranteed by the constitution, as a fundamental right and freedom, it does not relate nor extend to hate speeches or other expressions, in whatever form, capable of exciting hostility or ill-will against any person or class of persons.
“I further remind that such conduct, publications and utterances constitute grievous criminal offences under the Racial Hostilities, Cybercrime and other similar penal legislation and the State will not hesitate to resort to these provisions in our laws in appropriate circumstances,” he said.
