READ THE FULL STATEMENT ISSUED BY ATTORNEY-AT-LAW SIAND DHURJON:
An amusing and mischievous Facebook post was issued by that Facebook misinformation page known as Guyana Daily News targetting myself, attorney-at-law – Mr. Siand Dhurjon, that I “was detained and questioned by U.S. authorities at JFK International Airport … in connection with ongoing investigations involving his client Azruddin Mohamed.”
I wish to categorically state that this post is a lie by that Facebook misinformation page known as the Guyana Daily News. At no point in time was I ever detained by the US Authorities, this morning or at any time in my life. At no time was I questioned by the US Authorities about Mr. Mohamed or any other individual at all, at any point in time. My family of 5 and I are traveling on vacation during this time and we encountered particularly warm and helpful immigration officers who duly admitted me and my family in to the United States without incident, detention or questioning about third-parties whatsoever. My visits to the USA are frequent.
It is strange that that Facebook misinformation page known as the Guyana Daily News was privy to my departure from Guyana to the United States last night as I did not make this publicly known. It was in Guyana were I and my family faced scrutiny. Before walking through the glass door to the check-in area of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport there were two detectives posted at the entry carefully observing carefully who entered the departure area. As I walked past him he greeted me as we have known each other for years.
Further, particularly excessive and extensive checks were made on me and my family by security personnel who searched the persons of myself, my wife and my three minor children – including my seven-month old baby – much to my annoyance. After this, unknown individuals working at the airport unnecessarily checked our passports a fourth time. Our passports were first checked by the airlines at check-in, secondly – prior to entry of the immigration area and thirdly – by an immigration officer. These unknown individuals thoroughly checked my entire family’s passports after telling me that ‘they were looking for someone’. I observed that they were not checking everyone’s passports. I now recognize the true purpose of this heightened scrutiny on myself and my family by officers at the airport.
I wish the public to be advised that an attorney merely representing a sanctioned individual does not without more open himself up to sanctions or to detention and investigation. The US government is no fool. It is well aware of the fundamental right one has to counsel. Unless an attorney has engaged in activities beyond legal representation—such as participating in or facilitating alleged criminal activity— without more that attorney would not face U.S. sanctions or visa revocation. If it were otherwise the very judges of our Supreme Court – three of whom (and counting) to date have awarded no less than ten formal orders of court in favour of Mr. Azruddin Mohamed and his sister, Ms. Hana Mohamed, would be similarly at risk. But this is not the case.
Guyana Daily News, its principals, agents and servants are hereby given fifteen minutes to remove this slanderous and defamatory article failing which I shall institute proceedings in the Supreme Court to set right the rank defamation that they have issued which is damaging to my upstanding reputation. This threat, like any threat made by me, is pursuant to my duty to set the record straight and to vindicate my lawful position.
