page_title: 1980 Surinamese coup d'état
section_title: National holiday
hierarchical_section_title: 1980 Surinamese coup d'état / Developments / National holiday
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: Koloniale geschiedenis/ Monument: "De Historische Strijd" Herdenkingsmonument revolutie 25 februari 1980 (opmerking: Suriname reis Loek Tangel)English: Colonial history / Memorial: "The Historical Struggle" Remembrance of the revolution on February 25, 1980 (Note: Suriname trip Loek Tangel)Français&#160;: L'histoire coloniale / Mémorial: «La lutte historique" Souvenir de la révolution du février 25 1980 (Note: Suriname voyage Loek Tangel)
context_page_description: The 1980 Surinamese coup d'état, usually referred to as the Sergeants' Coup, was a military coup in Suriname which occurred on 25 February 1980, when a group of 16 sergeants of the Surinamese Armed Forces led by Dési Bouterse overthrew the government of Prime Minister Henck Arron with a violent coup d'état. This marked the beginning of the military dictatorship that dominated the country from 1980 until 1991. The dictatorship featured the presence of an evening curfew, the lack of freedom of press, a ban on political parties, a restriction on the freedom of assembly, a high level of government corruption and the summary executions of political opponents.
context_section_description: After becoming president of Suriname, Bouterse designated February 25, the anniversary of the day of the coup d’état, as a national holiday. On the day of the coup, Bouterse's soldiers burned down the Central Police Station of Suriname. The remains of this building now form the monument of the Revolution where every year on 25 February the coup is commemorated.
caption: Monument commemorating the coup.
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