Suriname: Former Dictator Desi Bouterse Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison Over Political Killings

On what should be the final decision on the fate of former South American dictator Desi Bouterse, who used to rule Suriname with an iron fist, a court upheld his 20-year prison sentence and finally ended the 16-year legal battle over the December 1982 killings of prisoners that were deemed extrajudicial by many around the world.

The 78-year-old former dictator headed Suriname's military regime during the 1980s, and much like many other dictatorships in South America, it did not take kindly to dissent and political opposition. He was accused of having 15 political prisoners killed inside a colonial-era prison, though he denied any involvement in their deaths.

Desi Bouterse was sentenced in the case in 2019 and in 2021 but had employed delaying tactics by constantly appealing the decisions against him. This latest sentencing against him cannot be appealed anymore as it has been deemed final, according to the Associated Press.

The lawyer who represented the victims' relatives spoke with the media and stated, "We have received a gem of a verdict," and added that he can now "proudly" say there is an independent constitutional state in Suriname.

Bouterse himself was not present during his sentencing, and neither were his other co-defendants, who were sentenced to 15 years in prison. The former dictator's 20-year sentence was given as a consideration for his age, and this was also the highest sentence allowed at the time of those political murders.

Possible Unrest in Suriname Following Desi Bouterse Sentencing

Despite not being in power anymore, Desi Bouterse remains a popular figure in Suriname, particularly among the poor and the working class. With his sentencing now final, it may cause some unrest within this small Dutch-speaking South American country, as warned by the Dutch and French embassies in the capital, Paramaribo.

"The police are on alert, backed up by other security forces," said Justice Minister Kenneth Amoski in a statement soon after the sentencing became final.

This statement came even though Desi Bouterse said that he would respect the ruling, adding that he is ready for it and that he was "convinced that the other judge, history, will acquit me 100 percent."

Despite this Bouterse statement, police still announced road closures that will make it difficult for Bouterse's supporters to approach the courthouse, according to France 24.

What Happened in those 1982 Suriname Killings That Landed Desi Bouterse in Prison?

Desi Bouterse came to power in the "Sergeants Coup" of 1980. After he took power, he was challenged by several other coups as he ruled the country as a dictator. This led to several political opponents being imprisoned.

In 1982, 15 of those political opponents were shot inside a prison, according to Dutch News. Bouterse has since denied involvement and said that they were either trying to escape the prison as they were plotting a counter-coup with the help of the CIA, with the guards shooting at them as they were trying to flee the prison.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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