Editing Dési Bouterse (section)

=== Amnesty ===
{{anchor|Amnesty for December Murders}}
On 1 February 2012, Ruben Rozendaal, one of the military suspects, announced in local media that it was time for him to come forward with the truth about the [[December Murders]] because he wanted to clear his name before he died: he was suffering from a severe kidney disease, and the doctors had told him he did not have much time left to live.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://parbode.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3747&Itemid=1&ed=102|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714025700/http://parbode.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3747&Itemid=1&ed=102|url-status=dead|title=Parbode Surinaams opinie maandblad – Ruben Rozendaal|date=14 July 2012|archive-date=14 July 2012|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref> After consulting with his lawyer, Rozendaal decided to withdraw the testimony he had given in 2010. After the last suspects and witnesses in the December Murders case were heard, the [[court-martial]] decided to hear Rozendaal again, and this hearing was set for 23 March 2012.

On 19 March, five members of Bouterse's political party ''Megacombinatie'' and one member of Paul Somohardjo's party ''Pertjajah Luhur'' proposed a law in the parliament which in effect would grant amnesty for the suspects in the December Murders, including Dési Bouterse.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ua.amnesty.ch/urgent-actions/2012/04/098-12?ua_language=en|title=Amnesty law change may end current trial|work=amnesty.ch}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/9840|title=Breaking news: Amnestie voor 8 december 1982|work=Starnieuws }}</ref> The amnesty law would also cause immediate termination of the trial.<ref name=autogenerated2 /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/surinamese-amnesty-act-a-blessing-bouterse|title=The Surinamese amnesty act is a blessing for Bouterse|work=RNW|access-date=15 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004235423/http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/surinamese-amnesty-act-a-blessing-bouterse|archive-date=4 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The parliamentary voting was to be held on 23 March, the same day Ruben Rozendaal testified in court that Bouterse personally killed two of the fifteen men: union leader Cyrill Daal and military member Soerindre Rambocus.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/9910|title="Bouterse heeft Daal en Rambocus doodgeschoten"|work=Starnieuws }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.stabroeknews.com/2012/news/breaking-news/03/24/rambocus-and-daal-killed-by-bouterse-%E2%80%93-witness-tells-suriname-hearing/|title='Rambocus and Daal killed by Bouterse' – witness tells Suriname hearing |date=24 March 2012|work=Stabroek News}}</ref> That day there was no quorum in the parliament, and the voting did not continue.<ref>[http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/22/2714928/president-bouterse-works-to-put.html "President Bouterse works to put "], ''Miami Herald,'' 22 March 2012</ref>

On 4 April 2012, after three days of debate, the Assembly passed the amnesty law with 28 votes in favor and 12 votes opposed. The political parties Nieuw Suriname and BEP, both members of Bouterse's coalition, left the room when the voting started because they "did not believe that they should support a law which is being opposed by a large part of the Surinamese community."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dbsuriname.com/dbsuriname/index.php/bep-fractie-liep-weg/|title=BEP-fractie liep weg|work=dbsuriname.com|date=6 April 2012}}</ref> The chair of the Surinamese parliament, Jennifer Simons, who is also a member of Bouterse's party, voted for the law.

The controversial law granted amnesty to Bouterse and the 24 other suspects. This could also mean that the ongoing December Murders trial will face an immediate stop.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/2451-suriname-grants-amnesty-to-narco-president-bouterse|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120710204700/http://www.insightcrime.org/insight-latest-news/item/2451-suriname-grants-amnesty-to-narco-president-bouterse|url-status=dead|title=Suriname Grants Amnesty to 'Narco-President' Bouterse|date=10 July 2012|archive-date=10 July 2012|access-date=4 December 2017}}</ref>

On 13 April 2012, the public prosecutor in the December Murders trial formulated the demanded sentence against five suspects, including the main suspect, Bouterse. His defense lawyer, Irwin Kanhai, requested that the trial would be declared moot because of the amnesty law. On 11 May 2012, the court decided whether the trial would continue or not.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nu.nl/binnenland/2803166/bouterse-vraagt-mogelijk-vergeving-.html|title=Bouterse vraagt mogelijk vergeving|work=NU|date=5 May 2012}}</ref>

Edgar Ritfeld, one of the 25 suspects, said that he did not want amnesty because he knows he is innocent. He wanted the trial to be continued so that his innocence could be proven.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2012/04/14/geen-moleculen-van-bloed-aan-mijn-vingers/|title=Geen moleculen van bloed aan mijn vingers|work=Waterkant.Net|date=14 April 2012}}</ref> Ruben Rozendaal and Wim Carbiere, both suspects, also asked for continuation of the trial.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/10313|title=Alleen Wim Carbière vraagt om voortzetting proces|work=Starnieuws }}</ref>

[[File:December murders amnesty protest in Suriname on April 10, 2012.jpg|thumb|Thousands of people in Paramaribo conduct a silent march on 10 April 2012 against the amnesty law]]
The controversial amnesty law was protested both nationally and internationally. Organizations such as the [[United Nations]], [[Human Rights Watch]], [[Amnesty International]], [[Reporters Without Borders]] and the [[Inter-American Commission on Human Rights]] condemned the law and urged the Surinamese judges and the Public Prosecutor's Office to continue the trial.<ref name=autogenerated1 /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amnesty.nl/nieuwsportaal/nieuws/grote-teleurstelling-over-goedkeuring-amnestiewet|title=Grote teleurstelling over goedkeuring amnestiewet|work=amnesty.nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2012/03/30/reporters-without-borders-tegen-amnestie/|title=Reporters Without Borders tegen amnestie|work=Waterkant.Net|date=30 March 2012}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated4>{{cite web|url=http://www.dewest-online.com/?p=19156|title=Human Rights Watch: 'Trek de Amnestiewet in' 19-4-2012 – De West – CQ-Link Nieuws|work=dewest-online.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/10168|title=Human Rights Watch: Amnestiewet is belediging|work=Starnieuws }}</ref> On 19 April 2012, Human Rights Watch demanded an immediate retraction of the law.<ref name=autogenerated4 />