A Guyanese man and his wife were last month granted asylum by the Immigration Refugee Board of Canada, which heard that the couple was threatened after the husband refused a request by a government official to hack into the computers of leading members of the opposition and a newspaper columnist.
The man, an Information Technology expert, admitted that he sabotaged two “anti-government” websites at the official’s request, but said his refusal to do more resulted in his wife being kidnapped and brutalised in a bid to pressure him.
In November 2009, the couple fled to Canada with Immigration Consultant Balwant Persaud, who filed a refugee claim on their behalf, on the grounds that their lives would be in danger if they returned here.
According to a notice of decision by the Refugee Board, issued on March 31, 2011, the claims for refugee protection by the couple were granted. “The refugee Protection Division determines that the claimants are convention refugees and therefore the Refugee Protection Division accepts the claims,” the notice said. The case was heard by Judge J. Waters.
Persaud, who requested that his clients’ names not be disclosed for fear of their relatives in Guyana being targeted, said that his client was a computer expert who was employed by a state corporation when he was asked “to do certain illegal things,” such as hacking into websites and into the emails of members of the opposition parties and people who oppose the government.
In the statement of claim by the husband, which was presented to the Refugee Board, he alleged that based on the advice of his boss he met with the government official, a senior police official and a well-known enforcer, who pressured him to sabotage the two websites.
He said he was offered payment for the work but refused and later he was subsequently approached to hack into the computers of a number of opposition leaders, whom he named, as well as a newspaper columnist.
He later refused and said the official became angry and the enforcer tried to intimidate him and threatened him. The man said he was later fired from his job and called a “traitor” and his wife was later kidnapped and assaulted before being released. She was told to tell her husband to do as he was asked.
The man said he later received a call from the official, who informed him that his services were no longer needed and that he would be gotten rid of as he knew too much.
After receiving threatening calls from anonymous persons, the man switched off his phone and he and his wife kept a low profile by staying with friends until they managed to leave the country.
Persaud said his client approached his office and complained about their brutalisation and they retained him to process their visitor’s visa and they were successful.
He said he advised them not to report their harassment to the police as the police were in cahoots with the government officials. He did advise the wife to seek medical attention for her wounds after her assault and to obtain a medical report, which she did.
According to Persaud, at the hearing at the Refugee Board it was explained that should the couple be returned to Guyana, their lives would be in danger as state protection is impossible because it was the state that were after their lives. “I explained to the Board that the police are well known to frame up people, victimise people and harass people at the instructions of government officials…,” Persaud said in the statement. He noted that the corruption of the justice system was explained in detail with lots of supporting documentation and newspaper articles. He said because his client refused to hack into the e-mails and websites of opposition parties, embassies, newspapers and opposition elements, he was threatened with violence. “Based on approximately 387 pages of evidence provided and over two hours of oral presentation at the Refugee Hearing, the judge was convinced that my client and his wife were in need of protection in Canada and were granted asylum,” Persaud said.
