Amended Recall Act sent to judge

Nailah van Dijk, the attorney representing Raymond Sapoen, Diepakkoemar Chitan and parliament’s chairwoman Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, has sent the amended Recall Act to the judge as instructed. The attorney confirmed that she has already sent a copy of the Recall Act to the judge and explained that the judge can now decide when she wants to announce a ruling in the lawsuit that had been filed by Barkat MohabAli, Prem Sardjoe and the following political parties: the Progressive Reform Party (VHP), the National Party Suriname (NPS) and Pertjajah Luhur (PL). Van Dijk has explained to the judge that the law regarding ending the membership of legislators is clearly applicable in this case and that the PL party does not stick to its own bylaws on recalling members of the party. The amendment of the law means that there is a different procedure that must be followed when political parties want to recall legislators.

The attorney explained that the demand of the political parties, Mohab-Ali and Sardjoe must therefore be rejected. She pointed out that Sapoen and Chitan were not recalled in the proper legal manner and that the party has violated legal provisions. The VHP, NPS, PL, Barkat Mohab-Ali and Prem Sardjoe have asked the court to order the chairwoman of parliament to ban Sapoen and Chitan from attending parliamentary sessions.