US-based, Guyanese Political Activist Rickford Burke has asked the High Court to throw out several defamation charges brought against him, as well as to declare the service of a summon on him by the Guyana Police Force at his New York, residence to be illegal.

Through his Attorneys, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde, Dawn Holder- Cush and Sasha King, Mr. Burke is asking the High Court to declare that the process of a Magistrate whether exercising Civil or Criminal Jurisdiction under the Summary Jurisdiction Magistrates Act is restricted to the geographic limits of Guyana.

Burke, who had been charged with Conspiracy to publish defamatory libel with a view to extort money, has repeatedly denied those allegations. 

In Court papers seen by News Source, the activist is seeking a declaration that under the Constitution of Guyana, the defamation of a private person by another person cannot be regarded as a criminal offence.

He also wants the High Court to declare that laws governing defamation and criminal defamation are in violation of Guyana’s constitutionally enshrined fundamental right to freedom of expression.

The respondents in the matter are Attorney General Anil Nandlall and Magistrate Fabayo Azore of the East Demerara Magisterial District.

Burke is alleging that the charges against him are politically motivated, fabricated and unconstitutional.

“They were fraudulently instituted against the Applicant, for the singular purpose of tarnishing his character and credibility as an ardent critic of the PPPC Government of Guyana in the US and the International community, and because the Applicant exhort tremendous influence among persons in the US Government and on social media,” Burke, through his Attorneys stated.

He believes he has been targeted by the current Government over his regular pubic criticism and rebuke of the Government and many of their actions.

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