The opposition Alliance for Change (AFC) is urging all members of the National Assembly to repeal Guyana’s blasphemous libel law, calling it “archaic and incompatible” with both the country’s Constitution and international human rights obligations.
Guyana’s blasphemous libel law, a colonial-era statute, criminalizes the publication of material deemed offensive to religious beliefs or sacred figures, with penalties of up to one year in prison.
“This colonial-era law stands in direct contradiction to Article 146 of the Constitution, international human rights obligations, including Guyana’s commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Guyana is a State Party,” the AFC said in a statement on Monday.
The party’s call comes as Attorney-at-Law Dexter Todd was expected to apply to the High Court for bail on behalf of Mr. David “Baby Skello” Wharton, who was remanded last Friday after being charged with blasphemous libel. The charge stems from a song he recorded and shared on social media that referenced a Hindu deity. Wharton has since publicly apologized and removed the song from his platforms. If convicted, he faces up to one year in prison.
The AFC emphasized that the Constitution and the ICCPR guarantee the right to freedom of expression, including the right to “seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers.”
“Blasphemous libel laws, by their very nature, criminalize expressions of religious critique or dissent and pose a chilling effect on free speech and open discourse in a democratic society,” the AFC said.
Citing the United Nations Human Rights Committee’s General Comment No. 34, the party noted that blasphemy laws are considered incompatible with the Covenant, “except in very narrow circumstances such as direct incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.”
“In keeping with these principles and in line with global human rights trends,” the AFC added, “we urge all members of the National Assembly to act swiftly to repeal all legislation criminalizing blasphemy or religious insult, including blasphemous libel; affirm the primacy of freedom of expression in a pluralistic democracy, and ensure that any limitations on speech meet the strict tests of legality, necessity, and proportionality under international law.”
The AFC highlighted that several countries in the Commonwealth—among them the United Kingdom, Canada, and Ireland—have already scrapped blasphemy laws, acknowledging their incompatibility with modern democratic norms.
“This is a moment for principled leadership. We call on all members of the National Assembly, civil society, and faith communities to stand united in defending the rights of all Guyanese to speak freely, question authority, and engage in robust dialogue without fear of persecution.”
Although President Irfaan Ali has set September 1, 2025, as the date for general elections, Parliament has not yet been dissolved. Nomination Day is scheduled for July 14.
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