Criminal
Wetboek van Strafrecht with the December murders trial concluded
Criminal law follows the Wetboek van Strafrecht and procedure the Wetboek van Strafvordering, both Dutch in origin, with investigation led by the Openbaar Ministerie and trial before professional judges rather than juries. In 2023 the Hof van Justitie upheld the conviction of former President Desi Bouterse for the 1982 December murders, ending a four-decade process.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National criminal code and procedure
- Deadline — Detention subject to judicial review within the periods set by the Wetboek van Strafvordering
- Deadline — Appeal to the Hof van Justitie within the statutory term
Governing law
- Wetboek van Strafrecht
- Wetboek van Strafvordering
- Wet Amnestie 1989as amended 2012
In practice
The December murders prosecution is the defining case of Surinamese criminal justice: a 2012 amendment to the amnesty law sought to halt it, the court proceeded regardless, and the conviction was ultimately upheld on appeal in December 2023. Because there is no jury, serious cases are decided by professional judges applying the Dutch-derived code, and Dutch criminal-law doctrine remains a significant interpretive source.