Surinamese former president Desi Bouterse has to answer to an appeal on Friday for his role in the December murders. In addition to Bouterse, four other suspects are on trial.
At the end of 2019, the Surinamese court martial sentenced Bouterse to twenty years in prison in absentia. He never appeared at hearings. Almost immediately after his conviction, Bouterse announced that he would appeal. The case will be heard by three judges. These are different judges than the one who issued the verdict.
The case revolves around the deaths of fifteen political opponents of Bouterse. They were murdered on December 8, 1982 in Fort Zeelandia in Paramaribo. Bouterse is the prime suspect. At the time of the murders, he was the leader of the then military regime in Suriname.