20-year jail term upheld

PARAMARIBO (CMC):

The Court martial of Suriname on Monday confirmed the 20-year jail sentence that had been imposed on former Suriname President Desi Bouterse for the murder of 15 people, while he ruled the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community country as a military ruler in 1982.

Bouterse, who lost the last presidential elections last year, was not present in court, but his attorney, Arjan Ramlakhan, has already indicated that he will be appealing the ruling.

In November 2019, the military sentenced Bouterse to 20 years in prison for his involvement in the 1982 murders of 15 political opponents of his then military government. The trial had been going on for several years, and in a lengthy verdict the court did not order the detention of Bouterse, who was then on an official visit to China.