He accepted “political responsibility” for the killings in 2007 when he offered his first public apology but insisted he was not present. The case is known in Suriname as the “December killings,” and the victims included some of the most prominent citizens of Suriname such as lawyers, journalists and a university professor. ADBouterse first seized power in Suriname following a coup in 1980, five years after the small country gained independence from the Netherlands. He stepped down under international pressure in 1987, then briefly seized power again in 1990. Then in 2016, he directed Suriname’s attorney general to immediately halt the legal proceedings against him, but the court ruled he could not do so because they had already started.

Source: Washington Post November 29, 2019 19:35 UTC