Bouterse requests the suspension of the 20-year prison sentence through new lawyers

The five former soldiers were sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment on 20 December for their roles in the December 1982 murders, in which fifteen opponents of military rule were killed.

The Public Prosecution Office (OM) has received the petition and will consider it. A company spokesman said an answer would then be provided. The five lawyers' request comes on the last day that Bouterse's lawyer, Irvin Kanhai, could have asked for a pardon. However, he did not support this, and therefore his pardon was not requested.

“invalid sentence”

The lawyers stated that they were authorized by Bouterse and the four other convicts with him, a Surinamese newspaper wrote. Real time Who was the first to report the request. This means that attorney Irvin Kanhai, who has assisted the former Army commander in this case for more than sixteen years, has been sidetracked.

Lawyers say that, on December 20, the Court of Justice did not take into account a letter from the military prosecutor in 2016, in which she indicated a possible outcome of the controversial amnesty law. The Court of Justice would now have confirmed the ruling, which was invalid.

The Public Prosecution is scheduled to discuss the issue of imprisonment this week with the convicts and their lawyers. It is not certain whether that consultation will be postponed. Zalman's spokesman says the press will be informed about this matter.