As concerned members of the Caribbean region and diaspora, we are outraged by the unreasonable and absurd charges of three counts of “malicious communication” under Section 9 (1) of the Cybercrimes Act of 2015 by the Jamaican state towards human rights defender and activist, Latoya Nugent. We are also outraged by the unfair treatment and hostility demonstrated during her arrest in which she was denied medical attention when needed.

We stand with Latoya Nugent and the Tambourine Army.

What happened to Latoya is not specific to Jamaica.

When lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex people are bullied and harassed online, where is the state’s commitment to human rights and to its’ people? The state should not be able to pick and choose whose rights are worth protecting and whose lives are not.

We recognize that the internet is often used as a space for human rights defenders to disseminate information, organize, advocate and mobilize.

The Association of Women’s Rights in Development (AWID) in its “Our Right to Safety Report”, noted the numbers of “[...] cases in which human rights defenders have been charged with defamation and, in some cases, blasphemy because they have published articles, blog entries or tweets or expressed opinions in public.”

We are all impacted by Latoya’s arrest.

As Assata Shakur reminds us:

“It is our duty to fight for our freedom.

It is our duty to win.

We must love each other and support each other.

We have nothing to lose but our chains.”

• Kimalee Phillip, Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)
• Samantha Peters, advocate and educator
• Malaika Brooks-Smith-Lowe, co-founder Groundation Grenada
• Damarlie Antoine, educator and feminist
• Ayisha John, Groundation Grenada
• KizzyAnn Abraham, advocate for Key Populations
• Maureen St.Clair, peace educator/activist/artist
• Angelique V. Nixon, CAISO sex & gender justice; IGDS UWI Trinidad
• Stephanie Leitch, Founder WOMANTRA
• Beverly Bain, Lecturer, Feminist activist and educator,University of Toronto
• Nicole Hendrickson, co-founder & lead organiser Firecircle
• Attillah Springer, writer and activist; Say Something TT
• Tonya Haynes, Code Red & Catchafyah Feminist Network; IGDS UWI Barbados
• Peter Weller, Caribbean Male Action Network (CariMAN)
• Caroline Allen, Researcher on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
• Amina Doherty, Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID)
• Alicia Wallace, Director, Equality Bahamas
• Gabrielle Hosein, CAFRA; IGDS UWI Trinidad
• Hazel Brown, Network of NGOs of Trinidad and Tobago for the Advancement of Women
• Reunka Anandjit, IGDS UWI Trinidad
• Sunity Maharaj, Side by Side, Trinidad and Tobago
• Elysse Marcellin, independent activist
• Tyrone Buckmire, Caribbean Male Action Network (CariMAN) Grenada
• Abbas Mancey, Caribbean Male Action Network (CariMAN) Guyana/ Canada
• Marlon Bascombe, Caribbean Male Action Network (CariMAN) Trinidad and Tobago
• Vidyaratha Kissoon, Caribbean Male Action Network (CariMAN) Guyana