In confirming the conviction, the High Court did not order the immediate arrest of the 78-year-old Bouterse, and many worry that the government may get cold feet. The week before the final verdict, I attended a rally at which Bouterse addressed 4,000 of his supporters and called for calm, while speculating that things could “get out of hand.” The day after the ruling, however, President [Chan] Santokhi, a former chief of police who led the investigation into the December murders, said that “the verdict must be carried out” and that there is “no option” other than Bouterse’s imprisonment. Indeed, any pardon for human rights crimes could violate Suriname’s obligations under the American Convention and undo the magnitude of what the country has accomplished.
Honk if you think this resonates with any current American issues.
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