Law Containing the Extension of the Territorial Sea of the Republic of Suriname and the Establishment of a Contiguous Economic Zone

Page 1 National legislation - DOALOS/OLA - United Nations asdf Law concerning the extension of the Territorial Sea and the establishment of a Contiguous Economic Zone of 14 April 1978 ... Article 1 The sovereignty of the Republic of Suriname extends beyond the land territory and the internal waters to: (a) A belt of sea adjacent to its coast and described as the territorial sea; (b) The airspace above the territorial sea; and (c) The seabed and the subsoil of the territorial sea. The Republic of Suriname exercises this sovereignty with due observance of the rules of international law. Article 2 The outer limit of the territorial sea is determined by a line, each point of which is situated at a distance of 12 nautical miles from the nearest point on the line of the low-water mark along the shore, the so-called baseline. Article 3 The belt of sea adjacent to and extending from the outer limit of the territorial sea of the Republic of Suriname to a distance of 200 nautical miles, measured from the line of the low-water mark as defined in articl 2 of this law, is considered the economic zone. Article 4 1. In the economic zone the Republic of Suriname has sovereign rights concerning the exploration, exploitation, conservation and management of natural resources, living as well as non-living, on the seabed and in the subsoil and the superjacent waters. 2. Without prejudice to the above it can be decreed that the provisions of this law and the instructions based thereon shall also apply to: (a) To erect and use artificial islands, installations and similar structures; (b) To protect the sea environment; this includes taking measures against pollution; (c) To conduct scientific research and experiments; (d) To extract energy from water currents and winds; (e) To engage in other activities aimed at the economic exploration and exploitation of this zone. Article 5 In the economic zone described above, all nations, with due observance of the international law, enjoy: Page 2 National legislation - DOALOS/OLA - United Nations asdf 1. Freedom of navigation; 2. Freedom of overflight; 3. Freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines; 4. Freedom to exercise internationally recognized rights in connection with navigation and communication. Article 6 1. No one is allowed, without a licence previously issued by Government decree, to engage in activities in the economic zone which constitute an infringement of the rights stated in Article 4. 2. General conditions which a license holder will have to meet may be laid down by Government decree. Moreover, when a license is granted, special conditions may be made in it or obligations attached to it. 3. A license may be revoked at alltimes on account of activities which violate one or more conditions or obligations under which it was granted and, furthermore, at the exclusive discretion of the appropriate authority, on the ground of reasons which derive from the public interest or if the national interest may so require. A similar decision will mention the grounds on which it is based. In special cases this may be omitted. Article 7 1. Intentional violation of the provisions stated in or resulting from this law will be punishable with a prison term of maximum six years and a fine of maximum five hundred thousand guilders. 2. In the case of a prison sentence, the judge may impose a fine as well. Article 8 1. Non-intentional violation of the provisions stated in or resulting from this law will be punishable with a jail term of maximum one year or a fine of maximum one hundred thousand guilders. 2. In the case of a jail sentence the judge may impose a fine as well. Article 9 A person who does not fulfill one or more conditions attached to the licence, as stated in Article 6, or who does not do so on time or in full, or a person who acts in violation of such conditions, will be punished with a fine of maximum one hundred thousand guilders. Article 10 The acts made punishable in Article 7 will be considered as criminal offences and those made punishable in Articles 8 and 9 as misdemeanors. Article 11 The objects used to commit offences as described in Articles 7, 8 and 9, as well as goods obtained from the offence, may be confiscated. Page 3 National legislation - DOALOS/OLA - United Nations asdf Article 12 1. If the offender is unknown or has died before the start of the prosecution, the confiscation may be decided upon by judicial decree, at the request of the public prosecutor. 2. The decree will be made public by the Registrar in the Advertentieblad of the Republic of Suriname and/or in one or more newspapers to be chosen by the judge. 3. The decree will take effect, except if a party concerned files a petition with the Registrar within two maonths after publication and if it appears in the course of further investigation that no offence was committed regarding the matter in question. 4. During fourteen days the Attorney General has the right to appeal decrees issued in accordance with paragraph 1, to the court. The same applies to decrees issued on account of paragraph 3, resulting from a petition. Article 13 If one of the acts made punishable in Article s7, 8 and 9 is committed by or through a group or corporation, criminal prosecution will be instituted and the sentence pronounced against the one who ordered the perpetration of the act or who was the actual leader of the unlawful activity or neglect. Article 14 1. The public prosecutor has the authority, in the case of acts made punishable by Articles 7, 8 and 9, to lay down conditions the voluntary fulfillment of which will concel the right to prosecution. 2. The legal provisions which apply in this matter to misdemeanors, will be applicable in a similar fashion to criminal offences as described in Article 7. Article 15 1. With the investigation of acts made punishable by this law are charged, besides persons assigned by Article 8 of the Penal Code, persons belonging to the armed forces of Suriname and/or other persons, especially assigned by the Minister of Justice and Police. 2. The investigatiors are at all times authorized to confiscate, or claim for confiscation, all objects which may lead to the discovery of the truth or of which the confiscation or destruction, total or partial, may be ordered. Article 16 1. If the goods confiscated on the ground of Article 15 contain perishables, the Attorney General may grant permission for the sale of these goods or merchandise. 2. The sale will be conducted in public by the investigatiors, and according to local custom. 3. Proceeds from the sale of goods or merchandise as mentioned above may be confiscated. Article 17 If the matters dealt with in this law require amending for the sake of its proper execution, a Government Decree may be issued to that effect. Page 4 National legislation - DOALOS/OLA - United Nations asdf Article 18 This Law will take effect on the day following the day of its proclamation.