PARAMARIBO, Suriname, CMC – President Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, Friday, reiterated that she has not yet received any request regarding an official pardon from the four men, who had been convicted along with the late Suriname president Desi Bouterse, for their role in the December 8, 1982 murders of political adversaries.
Speaking at a news conference, President Geerlings-Simons said she is unaware of a request filed by attorney Irvin Kanhai, seeking clemency for the men.
In addition, she said, there is no petition signed by the convicts themselves on the presidential desk.
“A pardon is a request from the detainee themselves. As long as it’s not on my desk, I don’t know anything about a pardon. A letter not signed by the individuals involved does not count as a pardon,” she told reporters.
Earlier this week, Kanhai said he had made the request on behalf of Ernst Gefferie, Stephanus Dendoe, and Benny Brondenstein, who are serving their sentences in Santo Boma, and Iwan Dijksteel, who is still at large. They were each sentenced to 15 years in prison in December 2023.
Bouterse was found guilty of planning and ordering the extrajudicial execution of the 15 political prisoners and was sentenced to 20 years in jail. However, he went into hiding and died in December 2024.
Regarding Dijksteel, Kanhai said ‘Someone may avoid conviction, but once a conviction is obtained, a pardon can be requested.” Maintaining that, given the way the trial proceeded, the four convicts are indeed eligible for a pardon.
“Some time ago, I filed a request for clemency for the four people who, in my opinion, were wrongly convicted and are our comrades,” Kanhai said on Monday night during the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) commemoration meeting marking what would have been Bouterse’s 80th birthday.
But the head of state told reporters that she has received pardon requests from several detainees, which are forwarded through the Ministry of Justice and Police, and meet all the requirements. The letters always bear the signatures of the petitioners.
She said further that the December trial is legally closed for her.
“What I personally think, or you personally think, no longer matters. The judge has struck the gavel; that case is over,” she told reporters, adding that the human rights of all detainees, including the four convicted persons, are being respected and that she sees no reason to reopen the case.
“We don’t forget anyone, not even these four people. But you or anyone else will not get a reopening of this drama from me,” she said, insisting that her focus is on the future of the country:
“I have an entire country on my shoulders. The situation is not easy, but I will continue to work to give all Surinamese people a better life.”
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