Police this afternoon detained a vehicle which was used by Stabroek News two weeks ago during the compiling of a story on the Central Intelligence Unit.
The vehicle was later released after the driver gave a statement to the police.
The police are acting on a complaint made by Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon.
Editor-in-Chief of Stabroek News, Anand Persaud this afternoon said the complaint by Dr Luncheon has no basis and is clearly an attempt to intimidate the media.
Persaud said that Stabroek News’s office was visited today by three detectives who are investigating an alleged breach of the security of the compound housing the intelligence unit. The detectives requested statements from Persaud and the reporters in question.
Persaud said there was no breach of the security of the compound and the reporters in question observed all of the required protocols.
The Guyana Press Association this afternoon condemned the police’s actions.
It issued the following statement:
“The Guyana Press Association stands in solidarity with the Stabroek News journalists who probed the activities of the ULTRA-SECRETIVE Central Intelligence Unit located in the Public Access Space of the CASTELLANI COMPOUND AND NATIONAL ART GALLERY.
“The GPA is appalled at the Police questioning of the Media House Stabroek and the impounding of a vehicle used to ferry the reporters. The reporters were doing what reporters do on a daily basis worldwide in properly functioning democracies, being the watchdogs of the society.
“It is unfortunate that those who seek to watch the watchdogs and others are seeking to intimidate and troll the reporters by using the unorthodox method of questioning how journalists do their job. As has happened in the past, during a different administration, there was an effort made to intimidate journalists who were pursuing an important story about thallium poisoning. The bark was worse than the bite then as it is now.
“The Guyana Press Association shall not allow any member of the media to be intimidated in the process of gathering information in the public interest.”
As reported in the last Sunday Stabroek, Stabroek News visited the unit two weeks ago and was unable to meet with the person in charge. When this newspaper arrived at the gate leading into the compound, the guard on duty allowed this newspaper access. He was told by the reporter that a visit was being made to the unit.
When this newspaper arrived at the unit a few moments later, the unpainted concrete two storey building seemed locked and there was no guard or anyone visible either inside or outside.
It was noticed though that there were some vehicles parked under a shed attached to the building close to a side door. This newspaper later found what appeared to be the main door and upon entering walked into a small opening from which three doors could be accessed. This newspaper knocked and attempted to open two but they were locked. The third door opened and inside were a chair and items belonging to a woman.
On looking through a side window, a woman was seen running down a staircase on the outside of the building. Later this newspaper met the woman outside and it was explained that an attempt was being made to speak with the person in charge. The woman then entered the building while dialling a number on her cellular phone. She later came back saying that the person in charge said that contact had to be made with Rohee. After being told that Rohee had indicated that there was a board and it was those persons this newspaper was trying to make contact with, the woman went back into the building and when she returned she said that the person would be down shortly.
That person never came and the woman later left the compound. Efforts by this newspaper to get a response after knocking at a locked door at the top of the outside staircase were to no avail.
