– Min. Todd says, as Guyana supports launch of Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations

MINISTER of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hugh Todd, has emphasised that foreign nationals should not be used as political pawns as Guyana on Monday joined 58 other countries to support the launch of a new international declaration against the arbitrary detention of foreign nationals.

This declaration was launched and promoted by the Government of Canada, whose Foreign Affairs Minister, Marc Garneau highlighted that it is a statement by 58 countries signalling that the practice of arbitrary detention is totally unacceptable.

In a statement released by the local Foreign Affairs Ministry, Minister Todd emphasised that small states such as Guyana remain most vulnerable and “at risk” if the practice of arbitrary arrest, detention and sentencing prevails.

“The Government of Guyana strongly condemns politically motivated arbitrary arrest, detention and sentencing of foreign nationals and embraces the position that every person, regardless of who they are and where they are, is entitled to the protection of their basic human rights and fundamental freedoms as established in international law,” Minister Todd was quoted as saying.

“Every state has the responsibility to safeguard these rights, not just for their citizens, but for foreign nationals within their jurisdiction.” Further, the minister highlighted that the detention of foreign nationals as a political tool aimed at coercing or influencing the behaviour or foreign policy of another state contravenes customary international law, the rights of due process and many provisions of international treaties.

Some of these international treaties are Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 25 of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.

He also said that the Government of Guyana endorses Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations under which consular officers shall be free to communicate with nationals of the sending state and to have access to them; to be informed if a national of that state is arrested or committed to prison or to custody pending trial or is detained in any other manner.

As per this article, consular officers shall also be free to visit and communicate with a detained national, as well as arrange for legal representation.

“Foreign citizens should never be used as political pawns,” he stressed, adding that the Government of Guyana stands resolutely for human, civil and political rights.

Guyana, he said, also encourages all states to end the practice of arbitrary arrest, detention or sentencing to exercise leverage or blackmail over foreign governments. And, Todd said the country called upon the United Nations to promote and pursue the Declaration against Arbitrary Detention in State-To-State Relations within the United Nations Framework.

Guyana stands ready to support similar and all initiatives that support and improve the protection and promotion of human rights for all in accordance with international law, Todd said.

The Government of Guyana, itself, is continuously increasing efforts to improve the treatment of persons detained within the confines of our municipal laws in a humane manner, according to Todd.

The Canadian Minister also highlighted that he wants to recruit more countries as signatories, with the goal of ending the practice everywhere and to discourage other countries from taking it up.

According to Global News in Canada, this declaration is non-binding, but aims to shame countries that engage in targeted detentions of foreign nationals to achieve a political end.

“Canada’s Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention is an important moment of international leadership, bringing together like-minded allies to take a stand against this unacceptable practice,” British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.