President’s Lawyer admits reporting Opposition Leader’s page before meta suspension

… denies role in removal of Mohamed-linked Facebook pages

(Kaieteur News) – Attorney Selwyn Pieters has confirmed that he warned Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed that legal action could be taken over a social media post concerning President Irfaan Ali, while denying any involvement in the subsequent removal of several Facebook pages associated with Mohamed.

The disclosure followed public statements by Mohamed and Pieters concerning a series of telephone calls on October 3, 2026, after Mohamed published a post about a Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) raid at a property linked to Ernesto Choo.

According to Mohamed, his attorney, Siand Dhurjon, was contacted by Pieters on the evening of October 3. Mohamed said Dhurjon asked Pieters who he was representing, to which Pieters replied: “His Excellency the President.”

Azruddin Mohamed, Leader of the Opposition

Mohamed further claimed that Pieters issued a direct warning during the conversation.

“Let me be very clear. If those defamatory comments are not removed, particularly the reference to His Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, I will have to deal with this in the context of defamation. Mr. Mohamed cannot cry victimization if I am forced to have Meta suspend his page. Again.”

Kaieteur News subsequently contacted Pieters and asked him directly whether those were his words during the conversation with Dhurjon.

“Yes, yes,” Pieters responded, confirming the statement.

Mohamed has since pointed to the subsequent removal of three major Facebook pages associated with him-Team Mohamed’s, which had approximately 540,000 followers; We Invest in Nationhood, with about 40,000 followers; and Azruddin Mohamed, leader of the opposition, with approximately 59,000 followers-as evidence of political censorship.

“When those in power seek to silence the opposition leader because they object to what is being said, democracy itself is under threat,” Mohamed said. He described the development as “authoritarianism” and the conduct of a “dictatorship.”

Attorney, Selwyn Pieters

He said efforts are currently underway to restore the main pages, while his team is operating through an alternate Facebook page, Hon. Azruddin Mohamed, Leader of the Opposition, which has about 14,000 followers.

However, Pieters has rejected Mohamed’s allegations “out of hand,” maintaining that he had no role, directly or indirectly, in the earlier deactivation of the primary Team Mohamed’s Facebook page.

Pieters challenged Mohamed to produce concrete evidence to support the allegation, including any official correspondence from Meta outlining the reasons for the initial suspension.

He also pointed to conflicting explanations previously offered by Mohamed and his team for the page’s removal, including claims involving the Guyana Police Force and allegations of copyright infringement.

Pieters acknowledged, however, that he personally reported the specific post at the centre of the October 3 dispute to Meta.

He said the decision was made independently in his capacity as legal counsel authorised to represent President Ali in matters involving alleged defamation on social media.

“In my considered professional judgment, the contents of that post were defamatory and went beyond the bounds of legitimate political criticism,” Pieters said.

“I exercised the authority vested in me as counsel… and submitted the matter to Meta for its consideration under its applicable processes and policies. Meta independently considered the submission and took whatever action it deemed appropriate.”

Pieters maintained that freedom of expression and press freedom, while fundamental rights, do not protect individuals from the consequences of defamatory statements.

“Where I determine, in the proper exercise of my professional judgment, that my client’s legal rights have been infringed, I am entitled and professionally obligated to pursue the lawful remedies available to him,” he said.

Source: Kaieteur News