Cynthia Valstein-Montnor
{{short description|Surinamese judge}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Cynthia Valstein-Montnor
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| birth_place = Suriname
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| occupation = Lawyer, jurist
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| known_for = December murders trial
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Cynthia Valstein-Montnor ({{circa}} 1955) is a Surinamese judge. She was the acting president of the High Court of Justice of Suriname from 2011 until 2014.{{Cite web|url=http://www.starnieuws.com/index.php/welcome/index/nieuwsitem/3993|title=Starnieuws - Cynthia Valstein-Montnor wnd president Hof Justitie|website=www.starnieuws.com|access-date=2017-08-28}} Alongside this role she was also the presiding judge officiating the Military Court, regarding the murder-trial of President Desi Bouterse and his role in the December murders.{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/43419441e7504cd2a17bc69e9be58f40/stalled-murder-trial-back-president-suriname|title=Stalled murder trial back on for president of Suriname|work=AP News|access-date=2017-08-28|language=en-US}}
Biography
Valstein-Montnor was born in Suriname. In 1973, she started studying law at the University of Utrecht and Amsterdam. She wrote her thesis on the Trade Agreement of Lomé. She returned to Suriname in the 1980s and worked as a jurist at the Foreign Ministry.{{cite news|work=Trouw |url=https://www.trouw.nl/nieuws/een-dappere-rechter-in-suriname~bff8b1a9/ |title=Een dappere rechter in Suriname |date=8 February 2017 |access-date=29 July 2022 |language=nl| url-access=subscription}}
In 1993 Valstein-Montnor started a RAIO-course (judge in training) together with four other candidates. She graduated as the sole candidate, and in 1997 was appointed as the first female judge in Suriname.{{cite news|work=Dagblad de West |url=https://dagbladdewest.com/2021/07/24/vierentwintig-jaar-vrouwelijke-rechters-in-suriname/ |title=Vierentwintig jaar vrouwelijke rechters in Suriname |date=24 July 2021 |access-date=29 July 2022 |language=nl}}
On 30 November 2007, the court-martial of the December murders commenced, and Valstein-Montnor was appointed presiding judge. The main suspect was former President Desi Bouterse.{{cite news|work=Provinciale Zeeuwse Courant |url=https://krantenbankzeeland.nl/issue/pzc/2016-08-05/edition/null/page/10?query=Valstein-Montnor |title=Standkrachtige vrouwen oordelen over Bouterse |date=5 August 2016 |access-date=29 July 2022 |language=nl}} In 2019, Bouterse was convicted to 20 year imprisonment for murder.{{cite news|work=Suriname Herald |url=https://www.srherald.com/suriname/2019/11/29/breaking-news-twintig-jaar-cel-voor-bouterse/ |title=Breaking News: Twintig jaar cel voor Bouterse |date=29 November 2019 |access-date=29 July 2022 |language=nl}}
On 1 January 2011 Valstein-Montnor was appointed acting president of the High Court of Justice of Suriname. In 2014, she resigned as president, but remained vice president of the court.{{cite news|work=GFC Nieuws |url=http://www.nieuws-suriname.nl/valstein-montnor-blijft-vicepresident-hvj-en-president-krijgsraad/ |title=Valstein-Montnor blijft vicepresident HvJ en president Krijgsraad |date=31 March 2014 |access-date=29 July 2022 |language=nl}} In 2022 Valstein-Montnor was awarded the Pioneering Caribbean Women Jurist Award for her achievements in the field of justice.{{cite news|work=Sun.sr (via Suriname Nieuws Centrale) |url=https://surinamenieuwscentrale.com/internationale-award-voor-rechter-valstein-montnor |title=Internationale award voor rechter Valstein-Montnor |date=29 March 2022 |access-date=29 July 2022 |language=nl}}
References
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Category:21st-century Surinamese lawyers