On July 9, 2026, a coalition of indigenous organizations across Suriname issued a formal call for the nation’s Prosecutor General to launch an appeal against the recent acquittal of seven police officers connected to the 2023 fatal shooting of two indigenous men in Pikin Saron.
The formal request was submitted via written brief on Wednesday, led by the Inheems Kollectief Suriname (IKSur), and joined by representatives of the victims’ families and a bloc of major indigenous groups, including the Organisatie van Inheemsen in Suriname (OIS), KHOSE, ESAV, Mulokot, ProBios and OAS Romalo Gallego.
The two men killed in the May 2, 2023 incident, Martinus Wolfiager and Ivanildo Dijksteel, left their families and the broader indigenous community reeling from the verdict handed down on June 30, the organizations confirmed. Judge Cynthia Klein issued full acquittals for all seven officers, who had been charged with using excessive, disproportionate force that resulted in the fatal shootings. The acquittals have sparked deep sorrow, widespread disappointment, and a pervasive sense of injustice among the victims’ next of kin and indigenous communities across the country, the coalition said.
In their official letter, the groups argue that the gravity of the case and its far-reaching social impact demand that every available legal avenue be exhausted. They maintain that a higher court must re-examine the evidence and the lower court’s ruling to deliver a full, fair review. The coalition emphasized that the appeal is not only a matter of justice for the victims’ families, but also a critical issue for Suriname’s rule of law, the pursuit of truth, and public trust in an independent, transparent judicial system.
Per the coalition’s announcement, a fully documented legal brief elaborating on the formal grounds for the appeal will be presented to the Prosecutor General next week. Organizations are currently waiting on an official response from the Public Prosecution Service, and will decide whether to hold a public press conference to further outline their position once that response is received.