Freedom of the Press 2007: Surinam

Police arrested journalist Mones Nazarali, who was taken before a public prosecutor and charged with several crimes, including defamation, slander, disturbing the public order, and insulting the police, which all carry prison sentences under the criminal code, according to the same sources.

The Surinamese Criminal Code recognises several offences under the umbrella of defamation, including spoken defamation, libel and slander. While all of these have problematic aspects, there is particular concern over the offence of insult , because it is vulnerable to abuse.

Reporters Without Borders voices its support for the investigative monthly Parbode, whose publisher, Jaap Hoogendam, is being sued by former public works minister Ramon Abrahams over a report about his alleged corrupt practices before he was fired without explanation. Parbode received a letter from Abrahams’ lawyer on 26 August 2013 announcing that the former minister […]