London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

BVI moving backwards: Against the EU and UK bill of rights, Governor assents Dictatorship Cybercrime Bill that outlaw the freedom to expose corruption and to criticize the government in BVI

BVI moving backwards: Against the EU and UK bill of rights, Governor assents Dictatorship Cybercrime Bill that outlaw the freedom to expose corruption and to criticize the government in BVI

Signing such a law, by itself, is crime against humanity, and big support to cover up corruption. This law is illegal by international laws and standards, against the Queen promises to support freedoms and fight wrong doing and corruption, and is used only in dictatorship regimes to cover up corruption, and to free officials from any type of criticism not accountability. The law that not exclude criticism that is true and valid, does not protect citizens that criticize honest matters that are in the public interest, and criminalizing with huge punishments anybody who say online anything that makes officials feel inconvenient. That’s a big warning for investors. They better stay away from BVI as long as this country support corruption and officials wrong doing cover up.

Even as international media watchdogs and Virgin Islands Governor, H.E. Augustus J. U. Jaspert cited freedom of expression concerns in the government proposed Computer Misuse and Cybercrime (Amendment) Act, 2019, the bill was assented today, February 12, 2020, paving the way for a new era in BVI dictatorship and corruption that outlaw criticism and government’s accountability.

"Before giving assent, I considered the provisions in the amended Act very carefully. Many of these amendments are positive steps and are needed to deter nefarious online behaviours such as cyberbullying, to prevent identity theft and fraud, and to protect children and vulnerable people," Governor Jasert said in statements released today as part of the announcement. 


Concerns still linger over the Act

Ahead of the bill passing in the HoA, international journalists and press agencies had complained that the act violates freedom of expression rights.

Director of Advocacy at the International Press Institute, Ravi R. Prasad had expressed concern with the Act, citing that if the changes come into law it would be used to prosecute and silence the media in the Virgin Islands.

However, he said while concerns have been made by local and regional members of the media, particularly in relation to freedom of expression—which resulted in a delay with assenting the bill—important recommendations have been made.

According to the Governor, "Their [media] concerns relate to certain provisions in the amended Act that they believe may threaten the principle and guarantee of free expression and press freedom and that the citizens of any democracy have a fundamental right to debate the public figures and policies that affect their lives," he said.


People have a right to speak - Gov Jaspert

The Governor noted that his view is that freedom of expression can, and should, include the right to appropriately say things that others may not want to hear.

"Social media and online platforms are necessary in a democracy for discussion, exchange of information and opinions. I have been assured that those provisions in the amended Act that have attracted criticism should not, and will not, be seen as free rein for prosecuting content which is consistent with guarantees of freedom of expression in a democratic society."

The Governor also indicated that the act was assented to after some consultation with Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie, a process that has been ongoing since 2019.


Preventing abuse of Bill

The Governor further underscored that in order to ensure the importance of freedom of speech for citizens and journalistic comment is protected, recommendations were made that the local Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) considers the drafting of guidelines.  Despite what he said, he sign the law without having any limits (such as to prevent using the law against the expression that that are true, real, anti corruption, or in public interest. 

It is not clear what push Governor Jasert to sign a bill that support covering of corruption, and against the very basic human rights of expression, criticism, journalism, and obligation of anybody who know about official’s wrongdoing, to expose it.

According to Governor Jasert fake claim, these guidelines that do not exist and that have zero affect on the law itself anyway, would help to “ensure”  (how, if not exist and it’s below the law?) that the offences created under the act as amended, "can be prosecuted fairly and effectively without compromising freedom of speech guaranteed by the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, particularly protection for those commenting online and for journalistic reporting." 

As the guideline do not exist but the law is signed, what he said is just a manipulative dishonest cover up the fact that he is the one that murdered the freedom of exposing corruption and wrong doing in BVI.

However, this law is illegal and against UK, EU and the UN bills of rights, and anyone that is trying to use this law against people who exposing officials wrongdoing and corruption, is a criminal against humanity by the international laws and standards. 

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×