Privy Council Orders Release of Dominic and Genevieve Hadeed Pending Constitutional Challenge

Businessman Dominic Hadeed and his wife, Genevieve Hadeed, are set to be released after the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council ruled in their favour, marking a pivotal turn in their prolonged detention under the State of Emergency. The couple had been held since June under Preventive Detention Orders tied to an alleged plot to assassinate senior Government officials, allegations they have consistently denied.

The Court of Appeal previously ordered their release under strict conditions, including house arrest, but that decision was suspended after the State obtained a stay and appealed to the Privy Council. The Hadeeds remained in custody while the appeal was pending, until the Privy Council’s latest ruling restored the lower court’s order.

The Privy Council’s decision addresses only their release pending the outcome of the substantive constitutional proceedings, which continue in Trinidad and Tobago courts. The merits of the case—whether the Preventive Detention Orders violated the couple’s constitutional rights—remain to be decided.

The case has drawn widespread public attention, spotlighting the use of preventive detention, the balance between national security and individual rights, and the scope of executive powers during a State of Emergency. Legal observers are closely watching the implications as the constitutional challenge moves forward.

For now, the Hadeeds are expected to leave custody, but the underlying legal battle over the legality of their detention is far from over. The High Court will ultimately determine whether the State’s actions were lawful.