Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Minister has responded to the calls for an investigation into why Popcaan has been detained for the second time this year while in the United Kingdom.
On Tuesday afternoon, well-known artist manager and media personality Shelly Curran used Twitter to call out the Foreign Affairs Minister to intervene.
“Hon Min @kaminajsmith there is a situation n Uk involving @popcaanMusic where he is detained and asked to do so by the JA govt….we need to know why?”
The Minister responded on Wednesday morning as she denied that the government had asked that Popcaan be detained.
“The govt of JA has not requested that @popcaanmusic be detained but there are many reasons why a traveller may be detained,” she said.
She also added that she has requested an inquiry into the matter from the Consulate in the UK.
“I have asked the High Commission to [enquire] into the matter as early as they are able, so that they may advise.”
Dear @ShellyCurran The Govt of JA has not requested that @popcaanmusic be detained, but there are many reasons why a traveller may be detained. I have asked the High Commission to enquiry into the matter as early as they are able, so that they may advise. https://t.co/bC6xf6Dn9e
— Hon. Kamina J Smith (@kaminajsmith) July 6, 2022
On Tuesday (July 5), the artist shared paperwork he received which he says outlines the reason he is being detained by UK authorities. The singer made a special appeal to Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness as he claimed that he was being detained on the instructions of the Jamaican government to the UK government.
“Yes I’m being detained,” he began. “As you know, I’m in the UK,” he said as he shared a paper that was given to him by the Home Office and confirmed the reason he was detained- “because of information sent by my country that I should be stopped every time I’m here,” the “Relevant” artist said.
“I wonder why, Mr. Prime Minister I would like to draw your attention to this once again,” Popcaan shared.
It’s unclear if, up to Wednesday, the artist was still being detained. He shared a comment on the matter from his attorney, prominent human rights lawyer Bert Samuels.
“Popcaan’s harassment at Heathrow airport is as a consequence of the Jamaican state putting a red flag on his name,” Samuels confirmed.
“Can you believe the artist who carries our flag high and with no criminal record being embarrassed in foreign country because his own country says he is a wrong doer?” Samuels added.
He also rattled off several other tweets calling for the government to intervene swiftly.
“To the doubters on my Popcaan tweet- Popcaan travels to the UK on a visa issued by the UK. If they (the UK) had an issue with him would they have granted a visa? Would they cancel the visa if they subsequently discovered an issue? So whose intelligence is acting out here?” the lawyer said about the critics pushing back at Popcaan’s claim.
Earlier this year, Popcaan had shared that he was stopped by Immigration authorities while traveling through the UK from Africa.
According to Popcaan, authorities revealed that information was lodged against him by the Jamaican government, which claimed that he was a “gang leader.”
To the doubters on my Popcaan tweet – Popcaan travels to the UK on a visa issued by the UK. If they ( the UK) had an issue with him would they have granted a visa ? Would they cancel the visa if they subsequently discovered an issue ? So whose intelligence is acting out here ?
— Bert Samuels (@BertSamuels) July 6, 2022
Popcaan’s harassment at Heathrow airport is as a consequence of the Jamaican state putting a red flag on his name. Can you believe an artist who carries our flag high and with no criminal record being embarrassed in foreign country because his own country says he is a wrong doer?
— Bert Samuels (@BertSamuels) July 6, 2022
