Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Case of Aloeboetoe et al. v. Suriname
Judgment of December 4, 1991
(Merits)
In the case of Aloeboetoe et al.,
the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, composed of the following judges:
Héctor Fix-Zamudio, President
Thomas Buergenthal, Judge
Rafael Nieto-Navia, Judge
Sonia Picado-Sotela, Judge
Julio A. Barberis, Judge
Antônio A. Cançado Trindade, ad hoc judge;
also present,
Manuel E. Ventura-Robles, Secretary and
Ana María Reina, Deputy Secretary
delivers the following judgment pursuant to Articles 44(1) and 45 of the Rules of
Procedure of the Court in force for matters submitted to it prior to July 31, 1991
(hereinafter "the Rules") in the instant case submitted by the Inter-American
Commission on Human Rights against the Republic of Suriname (hereinafter "the
Government" or "Suriname").
I
1.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter "the
Commission") submitted the instant case to the Inter-American Court of Human
Rights (hereinafter "the Court") on August 27, 1990. It originated in a petition (N°
10.150) against Suriname, which the Secretariat of the Commission received on
January 15, 1988.
2.
In filing the application with the Court, the Commission invoked Articles 51
and 61 of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter "the Convention"
or "the American Convention") and Article 50 of its Regulations, and requested that
the Court determine whether the State in question had violated Articles 1 (Obligation
to Respect Rights), 2 (Domestic Legal Effects), 4 (Right to Life), 5 (Right to Humane
Treatment), 7 (Right to Personal Liberty) and 25 (Right to Judicial Protection) of the