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                                                                                         WORLD NEWS Wednesday 1 February


















                Stalled murder trial back on for president of Suriname



                                                                                                   vote  in  2010  and  re-elect-  at that point to disclose the
                                                                                                   ed in 2015.                  sentence they are seeking.
                                                                                                   He pushed an amnesty law  The  decision  was  wel-
                                                                                                   through  parliament  that  comed  by  relatives  of  the
                                                                                                   would have ended his trial  victims of what are known
                                                                                                   but  that  was  ruled  uncon-  in Suriname as the Decem-
                                                                                                   stitutional.                 ber  killings,  whose  victims
                                                                                                   In  June,  he  directed  the   included some of the most
                                                                                                   country’s  attorney  general   prominent  citizens  of  the
                                                                                                   to immediately halt the le-  small  country.The  coming
                                                                                                   gal  proceedings  against    days  the  relatives  of  the
                                                                                                   him,  invoking  an  article  of   victims will have to be very
                                                                                                   the constitution that allows   careful.”
                                                                                                   the president to issue such   Irvin  Kanhai,  a  lawyer  for
                                                                                                   an order in the interests of   Bouterse, said the ruling of
                                                                                                   national security.           the  Military  Court  did  not
                                                                                                   But  the  presiding  judge  in
                                                                                                   the  military  court,  Cynthia   surprise him and said he did
                                                                                                   Valstein-Montnor, ruled the   not know whether the pres-
                                                                                                   prosecution does not have    ident would again seek to
                                                                                                   the authority to withdraw a   stop the process again.
                                                                                                   complaint  after  a  trial  has   “I am a lawyer, not a mem-
                                                                                                   started.                     ber of the government,” he
                                                                                                   She scheduled the next ses-  said. “I have no idea what
                                                                                                   sion of the court for Feb. 9.   the  government  will  do
            In this 2015 photo, Suriname President Desire Delano Bouterse observes a military parade in Para-  Prosecutors  are  expected   now. “q
            maribo, Suriname. A military court in Suriname on Monday, Jan. 30, 2017, ordered the president
            to resume his long-stalled murder trial in the killing of political opponents under his dictatorship in
            1982.
                                                                            (AP Photo/Ertugrul Kilic)
             PIETER VAN MAELE            litical  opponents  under  his  fendants  are  accused  of
             Associated Press            dictatorship in 1982.        rounding  up  15  prominent
             PARAMARIBO,      Suriname  The  court  ruled  the  presi-  opponents  and  executing
             (AP) — A military court on  dent  breached  his  legal  them  inside  a  colonial  for-
             Monday ordered a resump-    authority last year when he  tress  in  the  capital  of  the
             tion of the long-stalled mur-  ordered a  halt  to the pro-  South American country.
             der  trial  of  President  Desi  ceedings.               Bouterse was elected pres-
             Bouterse in the killing of po-  Bouterse  and  25  co-de-  ident  in  a  parliamentary
            Argentina toughens immigration, deportation laws

            DEBORA REY                   commit  crimes  including  percent  of  the  40  million
            Associated Press             drug dealing, arms traffick-  people living in Argentina.
            BUENOS  AIRES,  Argentina  ing or money laundering.       “Amnesty      International
            (AP)  —  Argentina  tough-   The  government  said  au-   considers that it’s a mistake
            ened  its  immigration  law  thorities   faced   bureau-  to  reduce  the  migration
            late  Monday,  making  it  cratic  hurdles  in  deporting   phenomenon to a debate
            easier to deport foreigners  foreigners  who  committed   on  national  security  that
            who commit crimes or who  such crimes.                    associates  migrants  with
            are being investigated.      The toughening of the law    criminals,”  the  rights  orga-
            The  changes  to  the  2003  is  in  stark  contrast  to  Ar-  nization said in a statement
            law were implemented by  gentina’s  traditionally  wel-   Monday.
            presidential decree, which  coming immigration policy.    “Even  when  States  have
            cites  a  rise  in  organized  It  seeks  to  curb  a  spike  in   the  authority  to  establish
            crime  committed  by  for-   crime  that  remains  a  top   rules  in  migratory  issues,
            eigners.                     concern    for   Argentines
            It  restricts  those  serving  ahead  of  this  year’s  con-  they can’t violate the rights
            sentences  or  with  criminal  gressional elections.      guaranteed under the con-
            records  from  entering  Ar-  Human  rights  advocates    stitution  and  international
            gentina and fast tracks the  said it risks stigmatizing for-  human  rights  treaties,”  it
            expulsion of foreigners who  eigners  who  make  up  4.5   added.q
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