The woman who was accused of inciting racial hostility on Facebook against President David Granger is now free after the case was dismissed by a city magistrate today.
The case was thrown out by Chief Magistrate Ann Mc Lennan after the woman’s lawyer convinced the court that posting on social media does not constitute as a violation of the Racial Hostility Act.
52 year old Bibi Safoora Salim of Vergenoegen, East Bank Essequibo, was arrested and charged after posts of her using derogatory statements and issuing death threats against President David Granger went viral.
It is also alleged that she used derogatory remarks about the President in messages sent via WhatsApp to her son, Asif Salim.
The controversy sparked outrage within society, with many contending that the move to arrest was an infringement on freedom of speech.
The Opposition, Peoples Progressive Party Civic had accused the Government of targeting PPP/C supporters saying that when it was in power, serious threats were made against leaders and officials of the PPP/C administration, but they did not pursue them in such a manner.
Shortly after this incident, a Berbice man named Rameshwar Beekham was charged for threatening to kill former Presidents Bharrat Jagdeo and Donald Ramotar as well as other top PPP leaders.
Unlike Salim, he made a direct threat to the lives of the former presidents and politicians.
He pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted and fined $75,000. (Devina Samaroo)
