PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC—The General Liberation and Development Party (ABOP) of Vice President Ronnie Brunswick said Monday that it “deeply regrets” the incident in which a senior journalist was hindered in her duties on Sunday as Presid. Chandrika read that Santokhi ordered an investigation into the matter.
“We hereby offer our sincere apologies to Mrs. Thomas, the editorial staff of Suriname Herald, and the Surinamese Association of Journalists (SVJ). As a party, we attach great value to freedom of the press and journalists’ crucial role in our democratic society. It is never our intention to hinder the free press or journalists in their work,” said Stanley Betterson, the ABOP chairman.
“We take this incident seriously and will evaluate internally how such situations can be prevented in the future. We want to emphasize that this incident occurred after the party congress when the ABOP leadership had already left. Nevertheless, we take responsibility to ensure that journalists can do their work safely and without hindrance in all circumstances,” Betterson added.
ABOP said that it has started its “own investigation into this incident” and that “if it turns out that members of our party have been guilty of curtailing press freedom, we will take appropriate measures.
“We want to emphasize that such behavior is not consistent with the values and principles of our party. We hope this statement will help restore confidence, and we pledge our cooperation in investigating this matter.
The editor-in-chief of the Suriname Herald newspaper, Vishmohanie Thomas, had her work deleted Sunday after she filmed a commotion at a meeting of the ABOP, where its candidates for the May 25 general election had been presented.
The Communication Service Suriname (CVS) said the Office of the President had also noted the media reports about the incident in which “a member of the National Security Service (DNV) allegedly misbehaved towards a journalist.”
It said President Santokhi instructed DNV’s management to investigate this incident thoroughly and that “based on the facts that emerge from this investigation, appropriate measures will be taken.”
In an earlier statement, the SVJ condemned “intimidation, obstruction or censorship of journalists.
“Journalists must be able to do their work freely and independently, without interference or threats,” the SVJ said, adding that deleting images from the reporter’s phone seriously violates press freedom and the right to free news gathering, fundamental pillars of a democratic society.
According to SVJ, the footage of Thomas, who is also a former chair of the SVJ, was deleted from her phone after she filmed an incident. A complaint has since been filed against the person, whom it described as “a member of the National Security Directorate,” who allegedly deleted the footage.
The CVS said that Santokhi has clarified that he stands “unconditionally for law and order and will always defend the free press.
“A free press is essential to a well-functioning constitutional state and forms a foundation for democracy and transparency. The Office of the President will closely monitor further developments in this case and remains committed to safeguarding the rights of all citizens, including journalists,” it added.
The SVJ has pledged its support to Thomas regarding any legal action she may wish to take. It will continue to work tirelessly to protect journalists and promote a safe working environment for all journalists in Suriname.
According to the association, this incident underscores the need to safeguard press freedom and defend it against any restriction.
Political parties in Suriname are campaigning for the May 25 general elections.
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