Source: http://www.deathpenaltyworldwide.org/country-search-archive.cfm?country=Suriname
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 04:00:08+00:00

Document:
U.S. Dept. of State, Background Note: Suriname, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/1893.htm, Nov. 17, 2009.
 Roger Hood & Carolyn Hoyle, The Death Penalty: A Worldwide Perspective, p. 61, Oxford University Press, 4th ed., 2008; Amnesty Intl., Death Penalty: Countries Abolitionist in Practice, http://www.amnesty.org/en/death-penalty/countries-abolitionist-in-practice, last accessed Oct. 7, 2010; U.N. ECOSOC, Capital punishment and implementation of the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, Report of the Secretary-General, p. 64, U.N. Doc. E/2010/10, Dec. 18, 2009.
 Altaafahmad, Doodstraf een nader beschouwing, Dagblad Suriname, http://www.dbsuriname.com/archief/vrije_tribune/2006/apr06/210406vrijetribune.asp, Apr. 21, 2006; Ivan Cairo, Doodsvonnis kan juridische conflicten brengen, De Ware Tijd, http://www.dwtonline.com/website/nieuws.asp?menuid=37&id=60127, May 21, 2009.
 Amnesty Intl., When the State Kills, p. 210, Amnesty Intl. Publications, 1989.
 Ivan Cairo, Doodsvonnis kan juridische conflicten brengen, De Ware Tijd, http://www.dwtonline.com/website/nieuws.asp?menuid=37&id=60127, May 21, 2009.
 Ivan Cairo, Doodsvonnis kan juridische conflicten brengen, De Ware Tijd, http://www.dwtonline.com/website/nieuws.asp?menuid=37&id=60127, May 21, 2009; Altaafahmad, Doodstraf een nader beschouwing, Dagblad Suriname, http://www.dbsuriname.com/archief/vrije_tribune/2006/apr06/210406vrijetribune.asp, Apr. 21, 2006; U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Second Periodic Report, Suriname, p. 22, para. 123, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/2003/2, Jul. 4, 2003. See also U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 40 of the covenant, Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee, Suriname, p. 3, para. 10, U.N. Doc. CCPR/CO/80/SUR, May 4, 2004.
Premeditated murder  and murder to further or facilitate another offense  are punishable by death.
By December 2010, we were not able to locate complete versions of the penal codes (civil and military) and had to rely on partial statutory sources and secondary sources.
Although our research is not absolutely conclusive, we found no statutory evidence of a mandatory death penalty in Suriname.
When an offense is committed by a minor aged between 16 and 18 years old, the maximum sentence is of 15 years imprisonment.  Additionally, Suriname is party to the ICCPR,  the Convention on the Rights of the Child  and the American Convention on Human Rights,  which prohibit the execution of individuals for crimes committed while under the age of 18.
Under the Penal Procedure Code, death sentences cannot be carried out on pregnant women.  Additionally, Suriname is party to the ICCPR  and the American Convention on Human Rights  which prohibit the execution of pregnant women.
Suriname is party to the American Convention on Human Rights  which prohibits the execution of individuals who were over the age of 70 at the time of the crime.
 Penal Code of Suriname, art. 349, extracts available on http://www.juspolsuriname.org/, last accessed Nov. 25, 2010.
 Penal Code of Suriname, art. 348, extracts available on http://www.juspolsuriname.org/, last accessed Nov. 25, 2010.
 Altaafahmad, Doodstraf een nader beschouwing, Dagblad Suriname, http://www.dbsuriname.com/archief/vrije_tribune/2006/apr06/210406vrijetribune.asp, Apr. 21, 2006; Altaafahmad, Doodstraf een nader beschouwing, Dagblad Suriname, http://www.dbsuriname.com/archief/vrije_tribune/2006/apr06/210406vrijetribune.asp, Apr. 21, 2006.
 Altaafahmad, Doodstraf een nader beschouwing, Dagblad Suriname, http://www.dbsuriname.com/archief/vrije_tribune/2006/apr06/210406vrijetribune.asp, Apr. 21, 2006.
 Penal Code of Suriname, extracts available on http://www.juspolsuriname.org/, last accessed Nov. 25, 2010. See for instance arts. 348 and 349; Amnesty Intl., When the State Kills, p. 210, Amnesty Intl. Publications, 1989.
 Roger Hood & Carolyn Hoyle, The Death Penalty: A Worldwide Perspective, p. 279, Oxford University Press, 4th ed., 2008.
 Altaafahmad,Doodstraf een nader beschouwing, Dagblad Suriname, http://www.dbsuriname.com/archief/vrije_tribune/2006/apr06/210406vrijetribune.asp, Apr. 21, 2006; U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Second Periodic Report, Suriname, p. 25, para. 145, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/2003/2, Jul. 4, 2003.
 Status, Declarations, and Reservations, ICCPR, 999 U.N.T.S. 171, Dec. 16, 1966, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-4&chapter=4〈=en, last accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
 Status, Declarations, and Reservations, Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1577 U.N.T.S. 3, Nov. 20, 1989, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=UNTSONLINE&tabid=2&mtdsg_no=IV-11&chapter=4〈=en#Participants , last accessed Nov. 25, 2010.
 Status, Declarations, Reservations, Denunciations, Withdrawals, B-32: Amer. Conv. on Human Rights, Pact of San Jose, Costa Rica, Nov. 22, 1969, http://cidh.oas.org/basicos/english/basic4.amer.conv.ratif.htm, last accessed Oct. 7, 2010.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Second Periodic Report, Suriname, p. 25, para. 145, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/2003/2, Jul. 4, 2003.
 Penal Code of Suriname, art. 55, extracts available on http://www.juspolsuriname.org/, last accessed Nov. 25, 2010.
 Status, Declarations, and Reservations, Optional Prot. to the ICCPR, 999 U.N.T.S. 171, Dec. 16, 1966, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-5&chapter=4〈=en, last accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
 Status, Declarations, and Reservations, Second Optional Prot. to the ICCPR, Aiming at the Abolition of the Death Penalty, 1642 U.N.T.S. 414, Dec. 15, 1989, http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-12&chapter=4〈=en, last accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
 Status, Declarations, Reservations, Denunciations, Withdrawals, A-53: Prot. to the Amer. Conv. on Human Rights to Abolish the Death Penalty, Jun. 8, 1990, http://cidh.oas.org/basicos/english/basic8.death%20penalty%20ratif.htm, last accessed Oct. 7, 2010.
The President and government are supporting the abolition of the death penalty in Suriname, but face some popular opposition.  However, they have decided to make abolition of the death penalty one of the innovations of the new Penal Code  which is under review by the National Assembly. The Council of Ministers drafted a bill regarding the revision of the first part of the Penal Code in May 2009, providing for the abolition of the death penalty and a corresponding increase of the maximum sentence of imprisonment to 30 years.  The bill was approved by the National Assembly on June 13, 2009.  As of November 17, 2010, the death penalty was still on the books in Suriname,  indicating that the revision of the second and third parts of the Penal Code has not yet been completed.
No. In 2007, Suriname voted against the U.N.G.A. resolution on a moratorium  and signed the Note Verbale of dissociation.  In 2008 Suriname abstained during the vote  and did not sign the Note.  However, we found no report of an official moratorium.
During our research we did not find any significant cases concerning the death penalty in Suriname.
During our research we did not find any easily accessible source of Surinamese jurisprudence.
 Constitution of the Republic of Suriname, art.9, 1987, as amended by the law of Apr. 8, 1992.
 Constitution of the Republic of Suriname, art.14, 1987, as amended by the law of Apr. 8, 1992.
 Constitution of the Republic of Suriname, art.106, 1987, as amended by the law of Apr. 8, 1992.
 Ivan Cairo, Doodsvonnis kan juridische conflicten brengen, De Ware Tijd, http://www.dwtonline.com/website/nieuws.asp?menuid=37&id=60127, May 21, 2009; Waterkant, Regering gevraagd doodstraf niet te schrappen, http://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2006/06/17/regering-gevraagd-doodstraf-niet-te-schrappen/, Jun. 17, 2006.
 Ministerie van Justitie & Politie, Persbericht 24/09, http://www.juspolsuriname.org/, May 19, 2009.
 Mi Bari, Doodstraf geschrapt uit strafwet, http://www.mibari.com/wordpress/2009/06/13/doodstraf-geschrapt-uit-strafwet/, Jun. 13, 2009; Waterkant, Doodstraf definitief uit strafwetgeving Suriname, http://www.waterkant.net/suriname/2009/06/11/doodstraf-definitief-uit-strafwetgeving-suriname/, Jun. 11, 2009.
 Information Services of the National Assembly of Suriname, email to DPW, Nov. 17, 2010.
 Constitution of the Republic of Suriname, art.109, 1987, as amended by the law of Apr. 8, 1992.
 U.S. Dept. of State, 2009 Human Rights Report: Suriname, Denial of Fair Public Trial, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/wha/136127.htm, Mar. 11, 2010.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Second Periodic Report, Suriname, p. 18, para. 83, p. 34, para. 211, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/2003/2, Jul. 4, 2003.
 Law of Suriname houdende goedkeuring van de Overeenkomst betreffende de Instelling van het Caraibisch Hof van Justitie, Mar. 10, 2003. See also the website of the Caribbean Court of Justice: http://www.caribbeancourtofjustice.org/default.htm.
 Status, Declarations, Reservations, Denunciations, Withdrawals, B-32: Amer. Conv. on Human Rights, Pact of San Jose, Costa Rica, Nov. 22, 1969, http://cidh.oas.org/basicos/english/basic4.amer.conv.ratif.htm, last accessed Oct. 7, 2010; Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Decisions and Judgments, http://www.corteidh.or.cr/pais.cfm?id_Pais=11&CFID=770539&CFTOKEN=83148333, last accessed Dec. 5, 2010.
During our research we could not ascertain how many people are sentenced to death in Suriname or where they are incarcerated. One news article suggests that there have been no legal death sentences since 1927.  However, the following observations relate to prison conditions as a whole.
As of November 2010, we could not find any evidence that foreign nationals are currently under sentence of death in Suriname.
As of November 2010, we could not find any evidence that women are currently under sentence of death in Suriname.
As of November 2010, we could not find any reports that individuals are currently under sentence of death who may have been under the age of 18 at the time the crime was committed.
As of November 2010, we could not find any reports on the racial/ethnic composition of prisoners on death row.
Under Article 12 of the Constitution, everyone has the right to legal assistance before the courts.  In a 2003 report, the Surinamese authorities declared that “if during a session of the criminal court, it becomes clear that the accused has no attorney and that the State did not provide for one, the judge handling the case will immediately appoint an attorney on behalf of the accused. This is a standard practice of the Judiciary that is aware of the long bureaucratic procedure before an attorney is appointed to an accused.”  In the same report, the authorities said that they had adjusted the payments made to the assigned lawyers.  However, in a 2005 report, they admitted that lawyers assigned by the Examining Magistrate to juvenile offenders often “do not appear during trial, possibly because of their low remuneration.”  Juveniles do not face the death penalty but this statement raises questions as to whether defense attorneys are adequately compensated in all cases.
Under Article 12 of the Constitution, everyone has the right to legal assistance before the courts.  As of November 2010, we could not find any reports on the legal aid system on appeal.
 Amnesty Intl., Dossier Suriname, http://www.amnesty.nl/landen_dossier/5691, last accessed Nov. 22, 2010; U.S. Dept. of State, 2009 Human Rights Report: Suriname, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2009/wha/136127.htm, Mar. 11, 2010.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Suriname, Replies by the Government of Suriname on the concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee (CCPR/CO/80/SUR), p. 3, para. 7, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/CO/2/Add.1, Jul. 10, 2008.
 Constitution of the Republic of Suriname, art.12, 1987, as amended by the law of Apr. 8, 1992.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Second Periodic Report, Suriname, p. 29, para. 172, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/2003/2, Jul. 4, 2003.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Second Periodic Report, Suriname, p. 29, para. 171, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/2003/2, Jul. 4, 2003.
 U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child Committee on the Rights of the Child, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 44 Of The Convention, Second periodic reports of States parties due in 2000, Suriname, p. 50, para. 164, U.N. Doc. CRC/C/SUR/2, Nov. 24, 2005.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Second Periodic Report, Suriname, p. 19, para. 91, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/2003/2, Jul. 4, 2003.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 40 of the covenant, Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee, Suriname, p. 3, para. 10, U.N. Doc. CCPR/CO/80/SUR, May 4, 2004.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 40 of the covenant, Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee, Suriname, p. 3, para. 11, U.N. Doc. CCPR/CO/80/SUR, May 4, 2004.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Suriname, Replies by the Government of Suriname on the concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee (CCPR/CO/80/SUR), p. 2, para. 3, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/CO/2/Add.1, Jul. 10, 2008.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Suriname, Replies by the Government of Suriname on the concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee (CCPR/CO/80/SUR), p. 2, para. 5, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/CO/2/Add.1, Jul. 10, 2008.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration Of Reports Submitted By States Parties Under Article 40 Of The Covenant, Suriname, Replies by the Government of Suriname on the concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee (CCPR/CO/80/SUR), p. 2, para. 6, U.N. Doc. CCPR/C/SUR/CO/2/Add.1, Jul. 10, 2008.
 U.N. ICCPR Human Rights Committee, Consideration of reports submitted by states parties under article 40 of the covenant, Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee, Suriname, p. 4, para. 15, U.N. Doc. CCPR/CO/80/SUR, May 4, 2004.
 UPR-info.org, Suriname, http://www.upr-info.org/-Suriname-.html, last accessed Nov. 25, 2010.

References: art. 349
 art. 348
 art. 55
 art.9
 art.14
 art.106
 art.109
 art.12