Suriname

Detains migrants or asylum seekers?

Yes

Has laws regulating migration-related detention?

No

Refugees

25

2022

Asylum Applications

2,546

2022

International Migrants

47,801

2020

Population

600,000

2023

Overview

Types of facilities used for migration-related detention
Administrative Ad Hoc Criminal Unknown

22 March 2021 – Suriname

Suriname, with an estimated population of approximately 590,000, is located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America and is the smallest country on the continent. The country faces a complex situation as a country of origin, transit, and destination for human trafficking and irregular migration. As of 22 March 2021, the country had recorded […]

Read More…

Suriname Herald, “Suriname Closes Borders for Travelers from Midnight,” 13 March 2020, https://www.srherald.com/suriname/2020/03/13/suriname-sluit-vanaf-middernacht-grenzen-voor-reizigers/
Last updated:

DETENTION STATISTICS

Total Migration Detainees: Flow + Stock (year)
Not Available
2019

DETAINEE DATA

Total Number of Children Placed in Immigration Detention (Year)
0
2017

DETENTION CAPACITY

ALTERNATIVES TO DETENTION

ADDITIONAL ENFORCEMENT DATA

PRISON DATA

Criminal Prison Population (Year)
1,000
2014
994
2012
915
2009
1,600
2005
1,670
1998
1,279
1995
1,258
1992
Percentage of Foreign Prisoners (Year)
19.3
2000
Prison Population Rate (per 100,000 of National Population)
183
2014
186
2012
175
2009
356
2005
382
1998
302
1995
308
1992

POPULATION DATA

Population (Year)
600,000
2023
607,000
2020
543,000
2015
International Migrants (Year)
47,801
2020
46,800
2015
International Migrants as Percentage of Population (Year)
8.15
2020
8.6
2015
Refugees (Year)
25
2022
29
2021
19
2020
44
2019
43
2018
37
2017
0
2016
1
2015
0
2014
Asylum Applications (Year)
2,546
2022
1,220
2019
40
2016
2
2014
Stateless Persons (Year)
0
2022
0
2016
0
2015

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DATA & POLLS

Gross Domestic Product per Capita (in USD)
9,680
2014
Remittances to the Country
9
2014
Unemployment Rate
2014
Net Official Development Assistance (ODA) (in Millions USD)
12.6
2014
Human Development Index Ranking (UNDP)
103 (Medium)
2015

MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

Does the Country Detain People for Migration, Asylum, or Citizenship Reasons?
Yes
2021
Does the Country Have Specific Laws that Provide for Migration-Related Detention?
No
2022

GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

Legal Tradition(s)
Civil law
2017

LEGAL & REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

GROUNDS FOR MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

LENGTH OF MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION

MIGRATION-RELATED DETENTION INSTITUTIONS

PROCEDURAL STANDARDS & SAFEGUARDS

DETENTION MONITORS

> National human rights monitoring bodies

> National Preventive Mechanisms (Optional Protocol to UN Convetion against Torture)

> Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

> Governmental monitoring bodies

> International detention monitoring

TRANSPARENCY

READMISSION/RETURN/EXTRADITION AGREEMENTS

COVID-19

HEALTH CARE

COVID-19 DATA

INTERNATIONAL TREATIES

International Treaties Ratified
Ratification Year
Observation Date
CRPD, Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
2017
2017
CTOCSP, Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
2007
2007
CTOCTP, Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children
2007
2007
CEDAW, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
1993
1993
CRC, Convention on the Rights of the Child
1993
1993
ICERD, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
1984
1984
VCCR, Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
1980
1980
PCRSR, Protocol to the Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
1978
1978
CRSR, Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees
1978
1978
ICCPR, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
1976
1976
ICESCR, International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
1976
1976
Ratio of relevant international treaties ratified
Ratio: 11/19
Individual Complaints Procedures
Acceptance Year
ICCPR, First Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 1966 1976
1976
Ratio of Complaints Procedures Accepted
Observation Date
1/5
1/5
Relevant Recommendations Issued by Treaty Bodies
Recommendation Year
Observation Date
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women § 29. The Committee recommends that the State party: (a)Allocate adequate human, technical and financial resources to the new government infrastructure to combat trafficking in persons (Schakelketting 2.0), in order to implement the national strategy and national plan of action to combat trafficking in persons, and establish a sufficient number of adequately equipped shelters for victims of trafficking in different parts of the State party; (b) Investigate, prosecute and adequately punish perpetrators and ensure that victims of trafficking and prostitution are exempted from criminal liability and provided with adequate protection, remedies and reparations, including temporary residence permits, medical care, psychosocial counselling, rehabilitation and reintegration support and compensation; (c) Adopt a policy to ensure that victims of trafficking in need of protection have access to asylum procedures in the State party and that gender-sensitive identification and referral mechanisms are in place at points of entry and in detention facilities; (d) Continue to carry out capacity-building for judges, prosecutors, border police, immigration authorities and other law enforcement officers on early identification and gender-sensitive protocols for dealing with victims of trafficking. 2018
2018
Committee on the Rights of the Child § 44. "The Committee recommends that the State party, in order to further strengthen the fulfilment of children’s rights, ratify the core human rights instruments to which it is not yet a party, namely, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families." 2016
2016

NON-TREATY-BASED INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

Relevant Recommendations from the UN Universal Periodic Review
Observation Date
No 2016
2017
No 2011

REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS

Regional Legal Instruments
Year of Ratification (Treaty) / Transposed (Directive) / Adoption (Regulation)
Observation Date
APACHR, Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 1990
1990
CBDP, Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention of Belem do Para) 2002
2002
IACPPT, Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture 1987
1987
ACHR, American Convention on Human Rights 1987
1987

DETENTION COSTS

OUTSOURCING

FOREIGN SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR DETENTION OPERATIONS